The Brawlers return
by Scorpina
Summary: The Neo Heroes aim to add to their ranks, yet with recent developments by one Dr. Evo, he has presented to them the ultimate heroes of the past. The Brawlers of City B are about to return, however no one knows how Melee will take the news...
1. Chapter 1

The Brawlers return.

Chapter 1

_"__Over here! It's over here!"_

_The earth began to tremble under foot, the windows shook and chattered as the shaking began to intensify…_

_CRASH_

_SMASH!_

_ "__My child is still in the building! Someone, please!"_

_ "__KNUCKLE!"_

_ "__ALREADY GOT THE KID! GO, MOVE LADY GET OUT OF HERE!"_

_The earth began to shake and tremble, it was coming this way as the walls around began to crumble. _

_ "__SHIT!"_

_ "__WHERE THE HELL DID DAD GO?"_

_ "__DAD WENT ON AHEAD…"_

_ "__LET'S BACK HIM UP!" he ran with everything he had left in the tank, this monster already brought him to the point of exhaustion, mainly trying to get people out of harm's way._

_Yet, as he and his brother got close, they couldn't find their father anywhere. In fact he swore he just saw him moment before the ground started to shake. He began to search franticlly. "DAD? DAD!" he called. But then, on his left he saw it. One of the building that just came down moments ago… they froze at the sight, there was a single arm buried in rubble, but the tattoos on it were clear._

_ "__Dad… DAD!"_

_ "__STREET!"_

_ "__WE CAN'T LEAVE HIM, OH GOD… DAD!"_

_"__STREET WE GOT TO MOVE NOW! WE CAN'T WIN, WE GOT TO FALL BACK, EVERYONE IS OUT OF HARMS WAY, LET'S GO!"_

_He hesitated, but it was true. There were no civilians in the area, the buildings have cleared out. All they could do now was fall back. "We got to go man…" his brother said as he came to his side. "We're all she has left now…"_

_He nodded to his brother, they turned and tried to make a run for it until a blast of fire came out of nowhere. The buildings began to collapse all around them._

_Then, it all became dark…_

#

Evo has not left his lab.

For hours a day he would stand there staring through the two-way mirror as he wrote down every twitch, moan or sudden movement. They were remarkable to say the least. "To think they survived so much before this occurred, yet, I wonder how they will assimilate back into society?" he questioned himself.

He already filled three books just with notes. The cloning process alone was something different than what he has seen before. The blood was just viable enough to be used, there were some alterations that needed to be made to ensure a proper clone is developed, despite the small hiccups, it has worked out. The process itself took less time as well. It was as if the bodies wanted to be formed as soon as possible, almost as if an urge to return to life in a sense.

These Brawlers had something to live for, and were determined to pull through, even though death was quick to put a stop to their struggle from their past life.

Their vitals grew stronger each and every day. However, there were some abnormalities. He noticed a look of pain in their eyes every so often, tears would follow as their bodies jolted at the same time. "Muscle memory of the last moment of pervious life…" Evo wrote. "I am more than aware of it, they died as they rushed out of battle. The monster took down the father and they fled the moment they realized it was too big to contend with. Yet the monster wouldn't let them go. It was denied its food and wanted revenge." He muttered to himself.

Yet, each and every time they jolted, their bodies were growing stronger, they attempted to open their eyes but fell sort and were quickly weakened. Yet, in that, the body healed and attempted to wake again with the same dream. "Such vigor in them. Are you fighting to live for your sister?" he asked.

That was a contention he wasn't looking forward to. Melee Brawler, without a doubt she would raise hell if learning of this. Her brothers meant everything to her, after all, she was the last of her family until her own children were born. But to have her older siblings alive once more, she would tear the world apart to gain them back. Yet, they must remember her for it to occur. Clones are fragile if not handled carefully. Especially ones who may believe they merely fell asleep after their last battle.

"I will be certain to reintroduce you to her, but for the moment, I am going to hold off on the notion." He vowed to the brothers. "Besides, you will be Neo Heroes, that is far different than what your sister has become."

He would observe them for weeks, Accel would drop by to see the progress himself. Evo at the time was checking their vitals, listening to their organs and searched for anything out of place. So far, they are prefect. When he left the room, Accel was quick to ask. "Have they woken?"

Evo was startled by the sudden appearance of Accel yet assured him they haven't yet. "Give them time, soon enough they will wake, it won't be long."

Accel decided to have a closer look, he peered through the door and heard them moaning, suddenly, their heads shook, back and forth, as if they were trying to wake up. Yet as quickly as it happened, their bodies settled again and they went still. "This cannot be rushed…" Evo explained as he closed the door. "They are in a very fragile state, their minds cannot handle a lot of information at the moment. Sudden noises that are out of place can stun the mind. We don't need that now do we?"

"I suppose not." He muttered. "So, what do we do about Melee?" he asked.

"I hope there is a knowledge to her that it would be best if she maintains her distance for the moment. Again too much stimulation will drive them into madness, we must keep them indoors for the time being until I deem them fit to go outside. Strange though, I have been watching their brainwave patterns for some time, they are growing remarkably stronger by the day. One appears to be attempting to process everything."

"Process? How?"

"I don't know, but the waves are quite different that for someone who is… say in a coma. The activity in it is amazing; it is as if he is trying to wake himself out of slumber with shock therapy. Stunning himself to open his eyes. His brother too!"

Accel paused. "So… they know they are asleep, but can't bring themselves to wake?"

"Indeed."

"Huh… I wonder what else these Brawlers are capable of doing?"

"It will be fascinating to see, Accel you should go and tend to the other heroes. I will handle things here."

He gave but a nod and went on his way. Evo went back to the two-way mirror, he pulled up a chair and merely watched his best work continue to breath and attempt to wake themselves…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Three weeks passed after the concert between Amai and the Soda Pop Boys. Every hero available was called to the association. The M Class came in full, yet Garou could already pick up the tension in the room. "Here it comes…" he muttered to Melee.

She nodded, Sitch then appeared and called for silence. He looked flustered to say the least, with a sigh. He made the announcement. "It is most unfortunate news that I announce as of this moment… the Heroes association is no more."

There were looks of confusion, devastation and anger. "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!" demanded Stinger.

"WE AREN'T TO BLAME FOR THIS!" protested Tank Top Black Hole.

"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW!" there were screams and shouting come from every which way, many demanding an answer from Sitch who couldn't provide one.

A sharp whistle however broke the anger yelling of the room, it came from Hunter as he yelled. "SHUT IT!" the room fell silent as he gave a nod to Sitch.

Grateful for the assistance he continued on. "Our wealthy investors have opted to funnel their money to the Neo Heroes rather than us. The common people have lost faith in our abilities, for it has come to appear we pander to the rich over them."

"Seems about right," Garou muttered.

"However, this facility will remain open and standing due to the more… influential people still chose to do so. They are offering those who have taken up residence to remain at HQ for body guarding purposes. You will still be employed, paid your wage as well as have free room and board." He explained.

There were some relieved faces, yet it didn't solve the problem for everyone else. "Great, what about those who don't?" asked Death Gatling.

Sitch sighed. "I don't know what else to tell you. As of now, the S Class will be taken under government control if they so choose. The top 10 of A Class will be offered contracts as well. For all others, I am sorry. I have nothing more to provide for you at this time."

"What about the M Class!" called Tank Top Tiger. "What becomes of them?"

A look of worry came over him. "They have opted not to sign the government contract, therefore, the M Class is no longer under the Association protection. All within will be categorized… as monsters. Threat levels have already been assigned. They are all Level Dragon threats according to the guidelines, meaning, they can be targeted by the Neo Heroes if they deem them dangerous."

There were looks of devastation all around. The others were stunned to the development. "Wait, if they sign the contract that won't happen, right?" asked Stinger.

"Subsection 4 paragraph 4. The government can use signee for whatever cause they deem fit, appropriate and necessary. Under this, if there was something that we didn't agree with, we wouldn't be able to refuse since the contract dictates it so. Refusal would also lead to termination… and I don't mean in contract terms either. In other words, the government could use the family for whatever purpose they believe we would be good for. Medical testing, weapon making just to name a few, hell, they could put us in a breeding program!" said Goliath. "The contract also does not recognize us as human… therefore we will not be given the 'human treatment' as it were. No, we will not be used like this, no one in my family will be used as weapons. We're people too damn it! We may not be fully human, let alone human at all. But that doesn't give anyone the right to treat us less than that!"

"I rather be a dragon level threat, than to be used as a pawn" said Garou. "Besides, you all know me. Let the Neo Heroes try and take me out… you couldn't!"

"Ahem" muttered Melee.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, FINE. Some of you could have but not at this stage of the game…"

"So… you three aren't going to change back?" Glasses questioned Snek, Max and Suiryu.

They shook their heads. "Nah!" said Snek. "That's taking the easy and cowards way out! We've been through worst than this, besides. Someone has to have their backs"

"I'm not going anywhere either." Said Max. "They think we're a threat, so be it. They make us a threat, that's in their heads!"

"I am not abandoning Alley and her family now. They didn't do that to me!" said Suiryu. "No, I am staying put!"

"You're a bunch of idiots!" muttered Garou. "Brave, loyal idiots."

"Be that as it may, that's not fair! I mean after all they have done, they fought along side us, hell even saved some of us in this very room!" protested Muman Rider. "How can they not be recognized as heroes?"

"It's just how things are Muman. The government has give then an offer which was refused…"

"But there is another option…" called Alley.

The room was in chatter now as she approached the stage. "Sitch, may I?" she asked.

He nodded and let her take the stage. Alley stood before the heroes and announced. "Despite this drawback, I have implemented a plan of my own." She explained. "I sense what has gone on with the Neo Heroes may just merely be a phase as it were, yet this phase will do a lot more harm to all of you. Patients is the way of the game for the moment…"

"Alley, what are you talking about?" asked Amai Mask.

She cleared her voice. "Metal Knight had a hidden fortress in City K. A city long since been destroyed and never rebuilt… until now." The room filled with murmurs once more. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Heroes Association. I have started my own, we will have a new headquarters that will be announced and revealed in due time. Yet, there are those here who may wish to remain where they are, some of you may have found other opportunities and work. But if you are interested, come find me. I will be doing interviews, and offer training. But I will warn you. Your pervious rank may possibly mean nothing in this new format. I will not be going by mere rank and tasks completed. I will be going by skill level, strength and abilities. Whatever you are able to do, you will be designated to that class."

The voices were getting a little louder now. "What about pay!" a hero shouted.

"You will be paid accordingly, unlike what C Class heroes have to do, there is no quota. Even if you may not have worked that week, I will ensure you are given a living wage. For there are other means of work in my association, you won't be paid for sitting on your ass."

"Alley… when did you plan all this?" asked Melee.

"For a while, I had a hunch this was coming far sooner than later. Yet I wanted to make a place where we can gather without our information leaking out to those who shouldn't be listening in. Right now all I will say is this. For those who come, you will all be given a test to see your skill set. There will be those whose skills are undeniable, however… I will still have them start at the bottom like everyone else. We will create a system where each tier can relay upon each other when need be for tasks at hand." She explained. Alley turned to Sitch. "I want you to join us."

He froze to the news. "Me? Alley, a lot of people are blaming me for what happened here…"

"And they are fools to believe that." she said. "I need a man at the head of this that I can count on. You have done well considering those who plotted behind you. Sitch, this cannot run without your expert advice and guidance."

He was taken aback by her words. But gave a nod.

"Alley, how long will this take?" asked Tank Top Tiger.

"We will be investing a lot of time into this and ensure everyone is placed properly, in that time, we won't be doing any heroics unless absolutely necessary. This will also give us time to observe and see what the Neo Heroes are capable of." That caused great uncertainty among the heroes, however. There was little choice. They nodded in agreement to it all. "Okay, in the very near future, I will be on contact with everyone here. If you are interested, I will give you the location and what to do from there."

With that, she stepped down from the stage.

Sitch took over once more. "I don't know what more I can say to this, but allow me to thank each and every one of you for all you have done, for what you continue to do, and for being there when people needed you most. Dismissed."

There were heroes already flocking to Alley, wanting more details, yet she refused to speak of them for the moment. Garou felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Amai. At first there was a smirk on his face. "You know, I have waited for a day like today…" he said offhandedly.

"I'm sure you have." Garou muttered back.

Amai snickered. "How time makes fools of us all… I want you to know one thing…" he leaned in and whispered. "I won't turn my back on you either. You need help… I will answer."

This caught Garou off guard. Amai said nothing more as he took his leave. But there were a lot of heroes approaching the M Class and stated the same thing. If they needed someone to watch their backs, they got them. Melee was touched by all of it, she even shed a tear or two over how people would help her family if the need was there.

Garou however knew he could protect them, after all, he has taken on the heroes association before. How bad could the Neo Heroes be?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"_STREET! WE GOT TO GO!"_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_"__We're all she has left now…"_

_then darkness, it was always darkness._

But this time, there was light.

His eyes shot open as he sat up in bed, gasping for air as if he had been smothered. His eyes blurred, the room spun around him as someone placed their hands on his shoulder. "Whoa… take it ease, you got up much too fast. Deep breaths calm yourself." The voice said.

Closing his eyes once more, he took deep, cleansing breaths of air and tried to regain his focus. The fog from his eyes cleared out, he began to see the room more vividly. But, the man before him was someone he had never seen before. "Who… where…" he asked.

He was confused.

Everything around him was all too new, too different… too much out of place. The man before him kept staring oddly, as the smile grew bigger and bigger. "Hey, do you know where you are? Do you remember your name?" he asked.

"What the hell kind of question is that! Of course I know who I am. I'm Street Brawler!" he protested. "Question is, who the hell are you?"

He pulled up a chair and smiled. Yet before he could utter a word, his brother suddenly sat up in bed, in the same daze and confusion. He couldn't see until the stranger went over and gave him the same sound advice, calming him down. His eyes blinked oddly a few times until he took in the room. Yet, he froze to the sight of his brother. "STREET!" he said. He was about to get out of bed, yet appeared sick doing so. "Oh God, my head!"

The stranger smiled as he eased him back down. " Do not rush this, you will do far more harm than good. Gentlemen, my name is Dr. Evo. I just got to the both of you in the nick of time, however, you have been in a coma for a few years if you can believe that."

"Coma?" Street turned his head and peered at his brother. "What coma? I don't remember anything… GAH!" he paused as his head pulsed with pain.

"Ow… It hurts!" growled Knuckle.

Street paid close attention as the doctor was taking notes, there was something off and strange about this whole ordeal. His memory being gone for one thing, another is what is a doctor like him doing here? He isn't dressed as the kind seen in hospitals, in fact the hospital room was wrong too. Normally they wouldn't be able to fit two Brawlers in a single room! "Say… doc… this is weird and all for me to be asking but… we're not in a hospital… are we?"

He froze from his note taking. Dr. Evo stared at him oddly. "What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Well, the fact is that my brother and I are in beds that fit us. Last time we were taken in for injuries, it took three beds for them to have us lie in, second of all… there are things here, technology I haven't seen before. That's not common for a hospital. Third, my brother and I are sharing a room. They don't normally fit two of us in a single space at any given time."

Evo paused, however he nodded to him. "Excellent perception as always. I wouldn't expect anything less from a Brawler. To answer your question, you are correct. This isn't a hospital, this is a secure facility meant to keep a close eye on the two of you. Due to your needs, we are able to provide proper care for you here more so than anywhere else. With the extent of your injuries, and it appears hints of amnesia have also come into play."

"Amnesia?" muttered Knuckle. "Look, Doc, no offense but something still ain't right about this. I mean, I don't know why, but someone like you shouldn't be here!" he stated. He shook his head to it all. "I feel like something is missing…"

"What can you recall?" Evo asked.

Knuckle struggled to try and remember something, same with Street. Yet the more he tried the more his head pulsed with pain! "Gah! I… can't!" he protested.

"Don't force it" Evo said gently. He looked to the two and gave a confident nod. "It won't be long until we can let you both up and out of bed. For now, rest up. I will bring in a good meal for the both of you to regain your strength."

With that, Evo left. As soon as the door closed, Street turned to his twin. "Brother, what's missing?" he asked. "Someone should be here… at least… two people… I can feel it. I mean… I see a shadow of a man, a massive one at that sitting in a chair with his arms crossed…"

"Me too… could it be our father? Did dad do something like that?"

"I think he did… OW!" he more the thought about it, the more pain he got. "Let's just try and focus on recovering…" he flopped back in his bed, Street sighed to it all. "This is strange isn't it?"

Knuckle nodded as he looked over his hands. "How long did that doc say we were in a coma for?"

"A few years… But you don't look any different to me."

"Yeah… what's going on man, I really don't get this."

The door to the room opened once more. Evo returned with two large carts with silver platters on them. "Sorry for the sudden return, I brought you something to eat. Here, help yourselves, if you need more, just call for me." A cart was rolled up to each side of their beds, when he revealed the contents a smile came over the brothers. Every kind of meat one could think of or ask for lay before them. Their lips smacked as Knuckle even stopped a small line of drool from cascading down his chin.

They ate like animals!

There was no need for forks or knives, the brothers dove in with their bare hands shoving anything and everything they could into their mouths. Evo had to step back and allow them to feast, he didn't anticipate their hunger being so great! They cleared the carts but required seconds. "This is some good grub! I don't I've eaten this well since Melee got a job!" announced Knuckle

Then, he froze.

"Melee…" Street whispered. "Whose Melee?"

Evo once more reached for his notepad, as Knuckle tried to understand the name he just spoke. Street froze to it too, it was familiar to him somehow, and yet, he couldn't put a name to the face…

#

Evo left the room to acquire more food for the brothers. Yet as he went to prepare the meals, he found himself being follow. "Doc, what's the news?" he turned to Accel who kept a close eye on the developments. With a wave of his hand, Evo led him to the two way mirror.

Accel's smile grew wider and wider as he saw the Brawlers had finally woken up! "About time!" he stated. "Man, they look bigger sitting up than they did lying unconscious!"

Evo reached into his pocket for his notes. "They have no recall at this moment to the events that put them in the 'hospital' let alone their own family. Memories are slowly being stimulated as we speak, in fact, one of the brothers spoke his sister's name without really knowing who she is. Third, they are very astute to their surroundings and know something isn't quite right about the world around them." He paused as he tucked the notes away. "Despite their names and being Brawlers, they are not meatheads to say the least. They are very cleaver and know when something is amiss. Remarkably, the information already taken in would be enough to set off a fragile mind. Yet these two are processing everything extremely well."

Accel nodded. He was having seconds thoughts on this whole idea of cloning the brothers when he learned that the pints of blood in that old fridge belonged to them. He also had doubts that Evo could clone them. Yet, despite the age of it, he was able to repair and revive the DNA structure of the brothers to clone them back to life. But now, the question. "What happens if they see their sister?"

Evo didn't know. "We have many variables going on right now, they could recall her if they see her. However given her transformation as well, they may not take the word of a monster claiming to be their sister. For now, I think we should keep quite on the subject matter. Let them rest and see how much they are going and willing to learn. I will keep them under very close observation."

"You do that." Accel announced, yet, before he left, he turned to Evo once more. "I do have a favor, when we bring them out into the world, remind me to keep them away from Garou and his family. We can't have them interfering with this. I want the brothers on our side, no one else!"

"I will do what I can." Vowed Evo. "If you will excuse me though, I must prepare a second course for them."

As Evo left, he too wondered about the brothers. Their minds are nothing like he has seen before. Especially after the cloning process, normally confusion and even state of brief madness occurred, however the two men were able to digest and sort things out for themselves. Question is, how much have they figured out already? What will drive them to learn more about the world around them?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

In City K

"Whoa…"

"Sis… when the hell did you make this!"

Alley was giving the family the first tour of the new association. She smiled to all the hard work that went into it all and now it was up and running. "Thanks to Bofoi and Boros, we got the whole facility operation on a single power source, the incubation chamber Suiryu and I found, that thing possessed a core that produced unlimited power! It's hidden in a safe spot to ensure no one tampers with it, but we are up and running!"

The place was high tech to say the least. The walls silver and mixed with the black and powerful alien metal. "It took some time to deconstruct the metal used in the ship, but eventually I found a way. My nano bots are able to eat and replicate it now, as a fail safe, all the encryptions are done in the alien language that only I and Boros and read…"

"Wait… he knows the encryptions?!" demanded her father.

"I helped write them!" he protested.

"You write code!?" the family questioned.

He rolled his eye to it all. "Mother figure insisted that if I were board enough to travel a galaxy to find strong warriors to fight, then I should put my focus on something I wouldn't consider. I never knew the mind to be as powerful as a body capable of fighting, yet I have been proven wrong." He explained. "In fact not only have I learned code, I am also developed a taste for building things… not too sure what they are yet, but I am making them with my own hands and not having a subordinate do it for me."

Her father paused. "I… am impress!" he stated.

"As you should be" Boros said with a proud grin, he held his head high on the matter, yet Alley glared at him.

"Smug!" she scolded.

His head lowered, a small pout appeared on his face but he didn't argue with her. "You're getting better though, try catching yourself before I do. There's nothing wrong with being smart either, just don't go pointing it out to everyone. Remember, everyone has their own kind of strengths,"

"Yes, mother figure."

"So… what's so special about this place?" asked Hunter. "Got something new to show us?"

Alley broke down the levels for the family. The top of the mountain was the meeting room for the heroes. The second level will be for all the information gathering and support system. Third Floor, construction of hero costumes and weapons. Fourth is the cafeteria and eating pavilion. Fifth floor hospital, and rehab area. Sixth, dispatch. All vehicles needed to deploy a hero at any given moment. Seventh is training area. Eight is the one they are currently standing in. "The 8th floor is a bit of miscellaneous kind of floor, a little bit of everything is here. In case there is a need for a quick meeting, repair, snack or dispatch. We also have a training room on this level as well so heroes are able to work on new techniques, skills and weapons. This will appear to be all the floors to the untrained eye, but there are more under us. That is storage for my robots and supplies, the alien technology I am working on and improving. A study with the books of all works I have done and genetic lab." She explained.

"So… that's a lot of space…" said Pac.

"There's more too. We got a pathway that will take up to the testing facility… brace yourselves bros, I used the one Metal Knight had put us into."

Pac and Hunter froze. "You're… using it?" asked Hunter.

She nodded. "I have modified it greatly to test the hero's skills. It's not all about combat you know, there are other ways a hero can assist and evaluate a situation. One is knowing when to ask for stronger heroes for help, the best method in evacuation and also surveying the area for possible victims and safe removal said victims." She explained.

"We have been able to take the metal used that could warp and alter the path of the maze and have it metamorph into a city block and give the heroes a scenario that requires team work or other tests." Boros explained. "Such primitive metal and yet mother figure was able to manipulate it like liquid, remarkable to say the least."

"You're cute when you compliment me, for that extra special dinner tonight!" Alley announced.

Even Suiryu was excited to the announcement!

"So, what now?" asked Pac. "How are we going to determine if those who have come to this association are trustworthy?"

"Oh easy, that's where Snek comes in!"

Snek smiled as he looked to the group. "Yep, I'm the interviewer!" he said proudly. "I know how to get someone rallied up and test their answers accordingly. Besides, a lot of the guys who I know I can trust are good in my books, the others… those I will test to their limits!"

Alley nodded. "I was wondering what everyone would like to do in the new association? Mom, dad, do you have any preference?" she asked.

Garou smirked. "Hon, as long as I get to kick some ass and eat well, I'll be happy…"

"BUTT!" scolded Luna.

He rolled his eyes as she pouted at him. "We will help with whatever you need, Alley. That's what we're here for and it's what the M Class has always done."

"I much rather patrol myself." Said Max. "Although I want to test myself. I got a lot stronger and I have nearly perfected flying if you can believe that!"

"Nice," said Hunter. "Me, I'll do whatever."

"Same, I'll help anyway I can." Said Pac.

"If you want, I'll train the new and the older guys." Said Goliath. "I am certain I can get the Fubuki group here if that's the case."

"Let me work on recon." Said Draven. "I learned a lot from Zombieman when I followed him around for a while."

"You mean stalked him," corrected Melee.

"Stalked, followed, either way," snickered Garou.

She gave a grateful nod to her family, just as her watch went off. "Oh, my appointment's here!" She rushed to the entrance, when she opened the door, the family watched as two familiar faces entered. "Whoa… shiny." Said Saitama

"Alley Brawler, this… is remarkable." Said Genos.

"Glad you think so, I got to take you downstairs though for your upgrades and maintains, Genos. Saitama, if you want to head to the fourth floor. I have established a cafeteria and would like you to sample the menu."

There was a wide eyed look on the face of the bald hero. "Free food?" he asked.

"Fourth floor…"

WOSH

He was gone.

Boros was even impressed. "I can't even move that fast using meteoric burst…" he muttered. "I have much to learn from him."

"If you don't mind keeping an eye on him, I got work on Genos." Requested Alley.

"Sure, let's go make sure he doesn't eat everything… that's my job!" Garou announced.

#

In the sub basement.

Alley revealed the hidden elevator in the wall that led to the subbasement. She invited Genos in as she hit the button. "I do appreciate the upgrades Alley Brawler, Dr. Kuseno is always fascinated by your work and curious to the advancements you implement."

"I am glad he likes them, I don't want him to feel like I am stepping on his toes here." Said Alley.

They reached to the subbasement; the place was at least four times the size of Alley's old lab. The walls white and as the light revealed everything within; there were parts, tools, robots and everything else hanging about the walls, waiting for their use. There was a massive table full of tools, metals and broken bits of things, along with scraps of metal from the spaceship. Genos stripped out of his clothing, found the examination table and already lay down upon it. "What did you wish to update me with?" he asked. "My exoskeleton has taken quite a bit of damage, and I have broke apart in recent months in battle."

"But not as much as before correct?"

"No, perhaps once a month or so."

"Still, one too many for my liking" she muttered. Alley did a scan of Genos and was able to peg were the good doctor worked on him last. With that in mind she began to think of a new upgrade for him. "I wish to install nanobots into you." She said. "I will do some maintenance and yet I want these on standby in your body just in case of an emergency. They can quickly repair you in battle, but come with a bonus feature"

"Bonus feature?" he asked.

"When you are facing a robotic monster, you can unleash the nanos upon it. They will enter it and devour the robot from the inside out, anything that opponent of yours had that could be usable in an upgrade will be locked into the memory of the nano. When you see me again, I can implant it into you in little time."

Genos was silent. "Is that truly possible?" he asked.

"Quite, are you interested?"

"Very well, I will inform Dr. Kuseno of the upgrade the next time I see him."

"Good, now, we're going to do some heavy maintenance…" Alley brought out her extra arms for the job, she grabbed hold of a torch visor and prepared Genos for the repairs…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Dr. Evo kept a close eye on the brothers. They were barely awake for five hours, but already they were out of bed, walking around and wanting to take in the world. There was a problem when they woke. Clothing. The hospital gowns he had off hand weren't enough to cover them. The brothers however improvised as they took two of them and tied them together around their waists. Loincloths weren't the least bit appealing, yet it kept them covered. Evo kept note after note on their behavior, reactions and also made certain to monitor their intake of information.

"They appear to be aware that they are out of place in the world for the moment. I will be introducing the Neo Heroes concept shortly, however must phrase it so they are accepting of the idea…" he jolted down on pen and paper. With that he tucked the notes into his pocket. He allowed the brothers to wonder the sparring room that was connected to their hospital wing. They were marveling at the walls and pristine floors when Evo walked in.

"Whoa, this is rather techy isn't it?" asked Knuckle.

"Top of the line in fact." Stated Evo. "Now then, I wish to ask you two something. You will probably not recall, but there is a job offer for you from those who have taken care of your medical bills and needs." He explained.

They froze. Street was confused. "Take care of? Someone paid for all of our medical bills?" he asked.

"Indeed, the Neo Heroes." He explained.

"What? I thought there was that other organization starting… Heroes Association or something?" asked Knuckle.

Evo nodded. "There is, but it is in shambles due to the corruption going on. We have started a new one, free from all of that. You were on the top of the list to be recruited in all honesty. Which is why I ask, would you like to join them? They protect the world from monster attacks, quite frankly, they could use those who are experienced in the field to train and help the others."

Street thought it over, Knuckle laughed. "Train, nah. We're on the front lines!" he protested. "We don't let others do OUR job, WE do it!"

"Understandable, but, in doing so, can you train others to fight like you?"

"That… isn't really possible." Street explained. "You see Doctor. Our family has been doing this for generation, so much so it's in our blood. What we do, is mainly instinct alone! It can't be trained into another person. We can show how we fight, however it won't be enough to help them take down a monster."

"I see, secret family technique?" Evo asked with a grin.

"Not in the least bit!" laughed Knuckle. "Look at us, look at our bodies!" he insisted.

Evo nodded, they are large men, only a foot and a half shorter than Raiden if he were has to guess. They stood as giants, if anything the brothers were built like those in the strongman competitions. Their arms and legs are thick and powerful with muscle tone, yet it was their cores that became deceiving, they appeared to have rather round bellies of sorts. "Our bodies may not look like much, but they can take a hit to say the least. We come from a family of strongmen, this here, our core…" Street explained as he patted his stomach, despite the look of it, there was muscle tone in it! "We may look fat, but we aren't all fat!"

"I see that, but still, there is nothing you can teach others?"

"We don't really have a style. All we do is go in and bash them until they stop moving really." Said Knuckle.

"Fair…" Evo muttered. "But, would you still join the Neo Heroes?"

They exchanged looks. "Well, I don't have anything else to do." Said Knuckle.

"They did take care of us when we were out in a coma, it's the least we can do. Okay, let's give it a try and see what these guys are doing and beat the hell out of some monsters!" announced Street.

"In due time gentlemen, in due time, you just woke up for goodness sake!" Evo said and tried to settle the two who were already excited to go into the outside world once more. "We first have to prepare you, after all, things have changed… and those hospital robes you are in are not leaving much to the imagination…"

#

Accel and Raiden were watching from above. The two Brawler brothers stood alive and well. "How do we explain this to the masses?" Raiden asked. "I cannot help but feel someone just played God here."

There was no response from Accel, at least, not at first. "We need them now more than ever. Our legions are growing steadily, however there are many with little to no experience in the matter of fighting monsters. I have tried to recruit those from the Heroes Association once again since the organization fell. However, the said that they already have work lined up." He paused. "An informant has told me, the daughter of Garou is making her own Association as we speak, yet she has kept rather quiet on the whole situation."

Raiden snickered. "A monster making an organization to fight monsters. Pathetic if you ask me, it's a trick isn't it? Make people believe they are on their side then strike them down when they least suspect it?"

"They must have learned from their father's mistakes." Accel said as he walked away from the window. "Garou bided his time, that was certain, yet he strike when there was opportunity. This would have been the time to strike against us if they saw fit, we are still budding, our numbers are great and yet the talent isn't quite up to expectations. I have little doubt in my mind, if the so called Human monster wanted to strike us down, he could do so alone without the help of his family…"

"You give that bastard too much credit!" scolded Raiden.

"Do I?" Accel asked. "Consider this, every time we have witnessed him take down a monster, it was effortless. He barely moved and merely lashed or struck it once before killing it! Tell me, is that natural for a monster that took out five of our recruits to fall in a single blow?" Raiden froze. He turned away shamefully. "There is rumor of one that can do just that, one that not even Garou can defeat. I heard Child Emperor speak of a man. He said this one hero brought Garou to his knees… we need him as a trump card."

"What is his name?"

"Last I heard, the Caped Baldy. Yet when he was accepted into the S Class, he became known as Saitama… Saitama Dragonslayer."

#

Elsewhere.

"Mmmm… so… goooood"

The family merely watched on as Saitama was brought plate after plate of food to sample. So far nothing has been refused, nor has he complained about the meals. Alley constructed drones to cook, and was making sure they were up for the task to say the least.

"You're not picky are you?" Garou asked.

"Like you're the one to talk about picky eating," snickered Melee.

Garou rolled his eyes as Saitama finished the last plate. "It's all good, I wish there was hot pot thought…"

"Hot Pot can be made upon request," stated the drone. "Does Saitama require a hot pot meal?"

"Cool, it knows my name," he said. "Let's see, yes. I require a hot pot meal, ensure there is nappa cabbage in there, and plenty of meat."

"Request accepted, meal shall be prepared at once." The drone left as Snek rolled his eyes to it all.

"Must be nice to have something make you a meal. I still go to go out and strangle mine!"

"Come off it, you enjoy doing that!" snickered Goliath. "Besides, we'll go out later, I'm starting to get hungry."

"You're always hungry." Said Melee.

It wasn't long until Saitama's meal arrived, and Alley returned with a newly repaired Genos. "That didn't take long," she announced, yet sighed. "But I think I over did it…"

Suiryu was concerned. "Overdid what?" he asked. She revealed her second set of arms, yet was unable to hide them like before. "Oh…" he said, but then smirked. "So… how can we use those tonight?"

"Oh God!" cringed Pac.

"Not in front of the kids!" protested Draven. "And I'm still a child technically!"

"What's Suiryu talking about?" asked Eclipsa.

"He's talking funny again to Alley," muttered Akira.

"He talks funny a lot, especially when he starts hugging her." Said Luna.

"Ratted out by the trips…" Suiryu sighed. He smirked it off thought. "Guess I'll have to be more careful with what I say around here…" Yet he slinked a little closer to Alley and caught her off guard with a surprise sweep off her feet!

"Suiryu! Not here!" she protested with a giggle.

Garou sighed. "I ain't ready to be a old fart…" he muttered to Melee.

"Preaching to the choir, you think I want to be called Grandma looking like this?" she asked.

Still, their little public affection was getting out of hand, it was Boros who actually stopped them when he abruptly cleared his throat. "You know, I am quite unaware of the breeding habits of this planet, is it worth observing?"

Instantly the two would stop and stand apart awkwardly. "Nicely done." Whispered Pac.

"Anyway… Saitama, is the food good?" Alley called.

He didn't answer, he was hovered over his hot pot dinner and was inhaling it to say the least. "Master appears quite satisfied with the offerings of food you have provided for him. This is excellent to know he will be well tended to here… that is, if master intends on joining this association." Stated Genos.

"Huh?"

"Well, I am starting the Heroes Association over… but it will be under my guidance. Would you be interested in joining us Saitama? You are welcome as well Genos." Asked Alley.

"So, I could have hot pot, all the time?" he asked.

"Yes…"

"I'll think about it after a few more bowls."

"Where the hell does he put it all?" asked Melee.

#

Amai Mask was seated at a large table, surrounded by men of the government. Before him a contract to be put on a retainer and maintain his hero duties, yet right beside it, another contract. "You are asking me to become a spy…" he stated bluntly. Reaching for a glass of water he slowly drank it as the government people explained the situation.

"We have received a report of one Alley Brawler forging her own association. We do not trust her or that family to maintain the peace for the people of this world! How can we after the human monster rampaged and nearly took the association out on his own!"

He placed the glass of water down and yet thought over their words. He looked between the two contracts before pushing them to the side. "I wish to do neither." He stated. "I made my intention clear once before I wasn't going to be used in this manner. Quite frankly, you are wasting your time here."

"Amai, please, be reasonable. Despite your connect to this family…"

"What… connection?" he demanded. Then, he began to look about the room. They knew something. "You already spoke of it, it would be foolish to deny it all now. What do you know?"

There were brief side glances about the room, before one of the men sighed. "We are aware of your connection to the family, your adopted son Drax who is Snek's son, M Class Dragon. We are also aware of your somehow unnatural arrangement that you are able to turn into the serpent and Snek is rendered human for a month. Not to mention, if there is trouble, you tend to turn to the family before the association on the subject matter."

"What of it?"

"Amai, you are close enough to this family to know what could seem out of place and a threat to all. You can see if something changes within them and warn us ahead of time. We need you to ensure that they don't go rogue on us!"

He thought over their notion, it was plausible on all aspects. But, they are asking him to betray their trust. They have no idea he is doing this right now, he always told Drax he would deny and refuse any sort of contract placed before him by the government. But this one… it has its purpose. It's rational, and yet, he couldn't quite understand, why him of all people?

"I cannot be the only one you have asked to do this, am I?" he questioned.

One person abruptly cleared his voice. "We have spoken with other heroes on the subject matter…"

"And…"

"We are not at liberty to speak of it. Amai, this is for the sake of all of us. As well, if something were to happen to the family, perhaps something beyond their control, you can warn us ahead of time to ensure their safety, could you not?"

He never considered that option.

If someone were to somehow control the family beyond their wishes, he could be able to inform the government of the situation, and prevent them from going into drastic measures. And yet, still, he if is to do this… they insist on his secrecy to it all. He cannot utter a word about it to the family, he will betray their trust.

The more the thought about it, the more he knew what he had to do. With that, he took the contract and signed. The people in the room smiled as he slid the signed paper back to them. "Don't make me regret this." He warned. Standing up from his chair he walked out of the room, yet he felt dirty.

"I better not be used…" he thought, then a notion came over him. He checked his phone and realized something else. "Huh… that's the name of the game too isn't it? Very well…" he left the facility first before he took his phone and made a call. Once he heard the familiar voice on the other end he smiled.

"I need a favor…"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"GET DOWN!"

SMASH

It was chaos everywhere. Drax knew this thing was going to be a problem; he called for help twenty minutes ago. They managed to evacuate the area and have since tried to keep this monster in place. This was a high demon level threat. The thing stood over two stories tall and lashed out against the world with its tentacle appendages. His squad has only managed to piss it off, but they are trying to keep in in a single area until help arrives.

"Any word?!" called Tenga.

"I called them, they said they are on their way, we can't hold out much…"

SLASH!

Drax froze as he saw Musashi was slashed across the chest! He flew into the air, the squad cringed to the splat of human flesh against brick! "MUSASHI!" Drax screamed.

He was pissed off now.

He turned and glared at the monster, his body surged with power and strength.

"Drax, hold back man, please, we can't, that's a demon…"

But it was too late.

He ran full speed at it, moving too fast for it to strike, and avoiding its lashes with great ease. Drax didn't care if there were hissing sounds coming out of him, all he knew was he had the strength to take this monster down! When he stood just before it, Drax made a dead leap from where he stood. His squad froze as they heard the sound of bone shattering and flesh tearing apart!

They cringed as the monster suddenly went still and collapsed into the street. Behind it, stood Drax, covered in purple blood and blue gore. But there was no time to dwell on it. He rushed to his teammate.

"Musashi! Musashi!" he called.

The teen slowly came too, "Ow…" he muttered.

Drax settled himself down as Musashi slowly sat up. "That thing can hit…" yet froze as he saw Drax covered from head to toe in gore. "You okay?"

"Fine… just fine…" he insisted.

He looked back to his team, they were all damaged as he checked their armor. "I got to say man… we really need to thank your dad for this." Stated Jun.

Under their uniforms, they wore the same snakeskin Drax had. It has saved them all on more than one occasion. Alley was kind enough to allow him to get his team taken care of. Considering they are the competition now. Yet, his father insisted on them being protected. "Use it however you can, it's not fair that the captain gets all the perks and his squad get squat!" his father stated when he asked for the suits for his team.

As happy as the notion made Drax, however with the recent events, they have been leaving a bad taste in his mouth to say the least and that's not just because of the monster blood and gore he covered in. They waited another hour until the Neo Heroes arrived. Accel sent a team that's a level above them, and yet found not a single heavy hitter among them. "What the hell is this?" the leader demanded. Drax has been clashing with him as of late. He goes by Chan, and thinks he's the top dog among the recruits.

"You tell me, we call it in over an hour ago and no one gets here until later! You know how many people could have been killed here?!" Drax demanded.

"Look kid, don't get cocky with me!"

"Look boy, don't get cocky with me!" Drax snapped back. It made everyone freeze. Chan was well over thirty years old, and a kid just called him a boy. "You keep doing this to us. We call it in, you take your dear sweet ass time getting here. What the hell is your problem?"

"You don't know what a real threat is!" Chan snapped back. "That wasn't a big of a deal!"

"We could have been killed!" shouted Hideki.

"You weren't right?"

"Fuck you!" shouted Tenga.

Chan had it, he turned and was ready to strike Tenga down and beat some respect into him. Drax however was quick to cut him off and punch him before he could even get close to his squad! Chan flew! Hitting the wall and laid in a slump before Drax turned to the others. "Who else wants some!" he demanded.

No one stepped forward. "Let's get Musashi taken care of guys, we'll report this asap." Stated Hiroshi.

Squad 45, the youngest of the recruits, and yet they have been responding and dealing with more monsters than the older and more experienced members of the Neo Heroes…

#

"He attacked me outright!"

"It's true, we saw the whole thing!"

Accel had his hands full, first he has to reintegrate the Brawlers into society. Yet at the moment, Chan burst into his office and insisted on suspending squad 45, became a little too much for him to contend with. "I don't have time for this, why one earth would Drax strike you down to begin with?" Accel demanded.

"Because the kid doesn't know his place!"

"It's more than that."

The room froze, even Accel as Street Brawler lingered in the doorway. The situation only grew all the more awkward as Street was barely covered by wearing two hospital gowns around his waist! Chan's team froze to the size of the massive man, he stared Chan in the eyes, glaring into them without blinking. "Yeah, I see it now. Embarrassed by a kid huh?"

"Wh… what are you talking about?!"

Street smirked. "Tell me what happened,"

Chan wove his tale about the monster attack, how they arrived just in time as squad 45 was on the brink of defeat. When the monster was dead, Drax got upset and attacked him for no reason. Accel could tell the story was forged too, after all he spoke to Drax earlier, and he was covered in monster blood and gore to say the least. There wasn't a speck on Chan or his squad. He noticed it a lot with Chan, he would try and take the victories from the kids, especially squad 45. He purposely delays himself to ensure minimal work is needed to kill the target in question.

Street nodded to the tale and then asked. "How big was it?"

"It was quite tall…"

"What was its attack?"

"Well, it smashed a lot of things…"

"How did it do that?"

"Uh…"

"I heard enough, Chan, you are benched. Until I decide if you remain on the team or not. I am so tempted to fire you right now!"

Chan froze to the news. "I think you ought to leave." Said Street.

The room cleared out, Street smirked as he turned to Accel. "My brother and I wish to go outside." He stated. "We want to take in the world and see it, we are able to defend ourselves but if you insist on a chaperone we will take it."

Accel stumbled over his own words for a moment, "Well, I can see that you want to go out, but… we don't have the proper clothing for you yet! Not to mention I want Dr. Evo's advice on the matter…"

Street rolled his eyes. "Fine! Someone get me some materials and sewing machine!" he called out.

"What do you mean?"

"I will make our clothing, sheesh, you people don't think I know that there isn't much in the way of clothing that can cover a Brawler? I learned to sew from my mother for that very reason…" he paused, as he held his head slightly. "Ow… at least… I think I learned from her… anyways, get me materials and a sewing machine and let me make clothing!" he protested.

"Okay, we can do that…"

"Then speak with Dr. Evo! We want out damn it, we're going stir crazy in here!"

"You just woke today!" Accel protested

Street however already stormed out of the room. Accel however didn't want them out in the world just yet. They only woke today! After all, what if their sister takes notice of them sooner than later?

#

Accel walked from his office, just as he noticed Drax in the halls. He had changed out for the day and was about to head for home. "Drax!" he called.

The kid froze yet glared at him angrily. "I am not impressed Accel." He stated bluntly. "My squad is getting thrashed, we shouldn't be the ones to take down a monster. Yet our hand is forced and we do it… I want another member on my team. I want someone who KNOWS how to take down a monster and can help us. I want Metal Bat," he stated.

Accel froze to the demand. "I have to speak with him…"

"What this, you want to put me on a squad?!" Metal Bat was lingering just around the corner. Bad turned and stared down Drax, yet he appeared to understand what was being asked of him. Bad must have noticed the look of frustration on the kid's face.

Drax looked him dead in the eyes and said. "I will be more than happy to release command of my squad to you. You won't have to answer to me but we would be more than happy to answer to you. The experience you offer…"

"Whoa, easy kid, don't kiss my ass before the pant come off!" Bad laughed. "I've heard about your squad, good group of kids, yet getting screwed. You tend to come across the bigger monsters as of late huh?" he paused and thought it over. He gave a nod to it all. "Ya know, I'll do it!"

"Really?" Accel asked.

"What the hell, why not? The action tends to follow this group around. And I can train up the others, right? You kids got thrown into this head first, best let someone be around to help them when the going gets tough, you know what I'm saying?"

Accel agreed. "Okay, next patrol, Metal Bat goes with you. For now, take a week to recover. Your squad has done more than enough."

"Thanks," with that, Drax took his leave. When he was gone, Bad appeared curious about something.

"Say, what's with that big ass guy wondering the halls with two hospital gowns tied around his waist?"

"Oh, new guy. Still trying to find a way of explaining it…"

"Explaining what? His appearance? Quite frankly a guy like him should at least be wearing pants!" said Bad.

"Nothing, I'll tell you tomorrow. I'm beat." Accel was quick to take his leave, but he knows he has to tell the other heroes soon about the Brawler brothers!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Drax barely made it to the doorway. He opened the front stood, stood there before teetering forward. His eyes rolled back as the room went into a sudden panic. He was so dead tired from the patrols and trying to stop every threat he has come across, he hardly has the energy to make it to his room. Just before he passed out though, Snek catches him. "Whoa there, what the hell is going on? Are they working you to death!?"

"Later… sleepy." Drax muttered.

Snek was concerned, his son has been doing this nearly every time he comes through the door and he barely takes a step before passing out. Snek just so happens to be at the right place and time when it happens. He let his son sleep on him, he even went as far as getting a blanket and covering him up as he rests.

"This ain't right," he said.

Garou was in the kitchen and nodded, all he had to do was turn the TV on, the top story, Drax and his squad. "Reports today of a young Neo Hero team taking down a high demon threat monster. This is not for the weak of heart to be watching…" it showed the video of one of the kids getting smacked hard. He struck a building rather aggressively which made Drax lash out! He ran at the monster, moving nearly too fast to be seen until he suddenly stopped, he made a dead jump from the ground and tore through the monster with his own body!

Snek was rendered rather silent, Garou on the other hand appeared impressed. "Not bad, monster flesh is hard to break through… how did he do that?"

"We have reports that this was none other than squad 45 of the Neo Heroes. Led by their young leader Drax, many of you know him now as the son of Biting Snake Fist Snek, also the adopted son of Amai Mask. It appears the young man is following their footsteps!"

Garou turned the TV off, but he was curious. He approached Drax oddly, Snek kept a close eye on him as he reached for the phone the Neo Heroes gave him. It was easy for him to unlock as he saw the messages. "Your kid shouldn't be doing this sort of thing, look at this."

Snek took the phone, it was all the messages he sent out and the time of the response. "He lets them know the moment there is trouble…" there was another app that is used, allowing the other neo Heroes know where their back up is and how long it takes for them to get there. It was the same squad in the area, yet took their dear sweet ass time getting to Drax and his team.

"What the hell is this!?" Snek hissed angrily. "They think they can leave this all for kids to do! Who the hell do they think they are?"

Garou's arms crossed as he sneered at the notion. "Perhaps it's time we step in huh? I mean, we're still in the monster hunting game but kept off TV. What if we tag Drax's group next time?"

Snek was grinning at the notion, yet at the same time, he knew Drax wouldn't appreciate it. If anything, he may resent them for interfering. "As much as I would love to, I think I will wait for Drax to tell me when to step in. He's done so much thus far, I don't want him to think I don't believe in him… still…" Snek moved himself to a part of the living room that had a small padded area. He picked Drax off his body until he could turn himself on to his back. From there, he gently placed Drax hear his chest and began to gently coil around his son, Drax moaned a little since he was moved, but tucked himself in and savored the comfort. "I don't want my kid getting killed. He's taking the same risks I did when I was human, but then again, he's winning his fights… I just knocked stupid."

"That's because of the strength he gained as a serpent. You taught him that, not to mention he has a hint of Amai in him too, remember? He had his blue scales as well. Some of that strength must have gotten into him too."

"Huh, we won't be telling Sweet that now, will we?"

"Not a chance in hell."

Snek settled himself in and allowed Drax to sleep in his coil. Garou smirked. "Good thing Alley put that padding in over there. Let me know if you need anything, Melee will be back soon with the triplets."

Snek kept peering down at his son, he was proud of him, at the same time worried for what he has been getting into.

#

It was an odd request to say the least.

Melee was asked by Genus to meet him in City W with the kids the next day. They were going to the park and play, yet Genus wanted to speak with Melee about something, she agreed yet wondered what the former house of Evolution wanted to say. The kids however were grateful they would be going to the park. The mountain playhouse as they called it was boring. There was nothing for them to do, so Melee had to reward them for their good behavior.

By the time the triplets were unleashed, she found Genus on the bench. He quickly waved her over. "Genus…"

He smiled as she took a seat, his warm grin suddenly vanished as he became serious. "Melee, I need to ask something of you. And please, do not be offended."

Curiosity got the better of her now. "Uh… okay…" she said with great uncertainty.

Genus sighed. "What would happen if your brothers came back?"

She felt her heart freeze in her chest, how did he know about her brothers? Not to mention, why ask of this now of all times? "Genus… you didn't…"

"No, I wouldn't do that without your permission. I fear though that perhaps some of my surviving clones did so out of ambition. If this indeed happened, what would you do?" he questioned.

Her legs felt like jelly, her heart jumped into her throat. "How… just… how would it be…"

"I don't know," he whispered gently. "There are some clones I kept alive for such a purpose, they are aware of my intention of ending the house of evolution once and for all, and have accepted my choice on the matter and their fate. One has brought it to my attention, believing they have found Brawler blood. How viable it is I am uncertain, I just wanted you to prepare yourself in case they succeed."

Melee grabbed her knees rather tightly, she was trying everything in her power to prevent herself from crying in front of her children who played happily, unaware of the heartache she was going through. "What can I do if they succeed? Would they even know who I am? Would I even waste my breath trying to convince them? Would those clones… would they turn my own brothers against me?" she whispered.

Genus fell silent. Yet when Melee turned to him, fearful for what may come, he knew he had to say something. "The strange thing about cloning is this, there are many options as to how it can be done. But, my method is the most absolute and perfect way of accomplishing such a task. Despite it being mere DNA that is needed to clone a human being, memories are retained in blood." He explained, his sights then turned to his own children. "They will know soon enough the truth, who they came from and why they have been cloned." He said to her. "Jason is figuring it out a lot faster than his brother and sister, yet, he hasn't said a word to me. I don't know why either."

Melee kept quite though, over and over in her mind she feared what may come. If the Neo Heroes break their promise to Drax, and decide to come after them. Her brothers will be part of the legion, they will be on the opposite side of the battle. She would dare harm them, how could she after getting them back? "Genus, they will remember me, won't they?"

He sighed. "I am certain they will, but understand. You, yourself have changed very drastically. It also isn't wise to bombard them all at once with thoughts and memories. I have seen clones go mad when overwhelmed with such emotions. Give it time and keep your distance for the moment, if they approach you, engaged them slowly. Until then, Melee, it's best you do not interfere…"

"You're telling me, it's happened, hasn't it?" she asked. "Despite your words earlier, saying be prepared for such a thing. Now you speak that it has occurred, and it was successful." She whispered. This time, she couldn't stop the tears, she felt them ooze down her cheek. "Genus… are they safe where they are?"

"Yes," he said. "They are safe."

"I wish to keep it that way. I lost them once before, as much as I would want to be in my life again, I can't be in theirs with the way I am, my family and what is going on in this world. I'll be perfectly… happy to know they are safe… excuse me…" she abruptly got off the bench before turning her back on the park. She needed to let this out, but couldn't let her children see her in such a state.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

He managed to find something. There was a supply room of all places and it held various clothing. Some were massive looking pants in Street's eyes, yet when he tried them on, they became nothing more than jorts. "Still leaves nothing to the imagination. At least it's covering what needs to be covered." He muttered. Continuing on his search, he eventually found something of great use, a sewing machine and materials! With that, Street went right to work making new clothing for his brother and himself. The materials themselves weren't quite used for clothing. They were stiff and uncomfortable. Not to mention tacky looking since he didn't have enough to cover where the jorts came to an end on his legs. However, it would be enough to keep him and his brother covered up. It took the rest of the day to make something for the two of them, Knuckle snickered at the strange material he used. "Man, isn't this for body armor or something? I rather stick with the jorts!"

"Shut up and wear it until we can find something!" he snapped back. The day was done, and yet Street keep wondering what has changed out in the world. He did find Dr. Evo late in the evening and questioned him on leaving the facility tomorrow. "My brother and I are going stir crazy! Please, can we go outside and see the city?" he pleaded.

Dr. Evo was taken aback by the request, however he said he would see what he could arrange. With that in mind, Street rejoined his brother who found the cafeteria of the Neo Heroes. The food appeared to be good, and hunger was just getting the best of him now. Eating had become a spectacle to say the least. Neo Heroes would stop and stare as plates of food vanished into the brothers. The amount of it all shouldn't be able to fit into one body! Yet, they were able to consume what they desired before tiredness took hold.

"So… where do we sleep?" Knuckle asked. "I ain't going back to that medical room!"

"Street! Knuckle!" called Accel. He flagged them down and was quickly approaching them. "We have new quarters set up for you, come follow me!" he insisted.

"That answers that," Knuckle muttered.

They were taken to the third floor of the building, there the brothers were given a rather large size room. Big enough for the two of them and even beds they could properly fit in! "It's not much, but hopefully you will get a good night's sleep here."

Street yawned aloud. "Let's test that theory, Night Accel."

They were left to their room, Knuckle smirked as he jumped onto the bed and felt rather relaxed. "Not bad, almost feels like our own place," he said.

"Yeah, let's get some shut eye, hopefully we will be able to go outside by tomorrow" said Street.

#

Sleep came rather easily, yet the dreams Street had were anything but pleasant. He kept seeing the face of a young fourteen year old girl. Her eyes sparkled as her smile could light up the room. "You two ought to be careful! I am not going to keep bandaging you up like this!"

"Yeah, yeah sis, we know!"

But then, there was that shadowy figure of a man. A massively tall mountainous person who would stare down him and Knuckle, yet he couldn't see a face. Was this man malicious? Was this father? Did he treat them well? Or is his memory being suppress for a reason?

He didn't know, yet he was woken from his sleep with a loud knock on the door.

Knuckle stumbled up and out of bed to the sound. Curious though, Street went to answer the door and found Accel standing there, smiling from ear to ear.

"Hey, we're going to introduce you today." He explained. "Uh, I don't know how to explain it to you but, some of the Neo Heroes who joined us are from the former Heroes association, former S Class if you can believe that."

"S Class?" asked Knuckle as he sat on the edge of his bed. "Why the hell would we care about that? We don't even know what the S Class was!"

"Right, right…" Accel muttered. "Well, I want you two to be prepared, and we will introduce you shortly." With that he left the Brawler brothers to their room.

Street was curious though. "This still doesn't feel right, my gut is telling me that."

"Mine too, dad always said go with your gut… GAH!" he cringed, Street did too at the mention of his father. But then, he began to see him vividly. A massive, burly looking man who would always smile and face any danger with a grin on his lips. He was easily recognized by the tattoos on his arms. "Dad… I remember dad!"

"ME TOO!"

Memories flooded back to them of their father, a stern man but who also had a big heart. There were times when he would fight someone on the street because they were causing trouble, only to take them in to learn and understand the situation they were in. He turned a lot of people's lives around, and there were those who simply didn't care and refused his advice and help. But they remembered his big heart. Despite the fact they didn't have much to offer, they would be certain to give what they could to those in need.

Street shed a tear at the thought. He could remember his father. Yet he couldn't recall his mother's face or why the name Melee means something important to him. A gentle knock came at the door, Knuckle opened it as Street cleared the tears from his eyes. Accel stood and gave the nod, it was time to be introduced to the Neo Heroes.

#

"This feels familiar…" muttered Metal Bat. He was in a massive white meeting room along with the others. Yet it was strange to see everything lit up and nothing shrouded in darkness. He sat at a table with some of the other top heroes, however, his eyes kept drifting to two sitting across from him, Ran and Shaw.

Ran didn't look all that familiar in a sense, Shaw however he knew for certain he was someone Bad has encountered before. He noticed Child Emperor and Darkshine giving off the came curious glare but that all came to a stop as McCoy entered the room. "Gentlemen, it is a great privilege and honor to announce today that we have made a fantastic discovery!" he explained.

"Such as?" question Ran.

"Heroes from the past that are bought into the future!" he stated with great pride.

Suddenly, every S Class hero froze and stared at him. "What are you talking about…" said Child Emperor.

"You'll see!" corrected McCoy. "Gentlemen I am about to introduce you to some heroes from the past, please keep your question to a minimal, they only woke up yesterday. And don't mention anything about their past…" he insisted. He turned to the doorway. "SEND THEM IN!"

The double doors opened. Accel walked in and was followed by two massive men.

One was shaved bald except for two thin strips of bangs that came down the front of his face and a rat-tail ponytail from the back. The one next to him had shoulder length, flat, brown hair yet tired back into a small ponytail. "Accel…" said Shaw with great uncertainty.

"Gentlemen, I want you to meet our new recruits. Knuckle and Street!"

Ran stood up oddly as he stared at the two men. "Huh, I am certain I have seen these faces before…"

"I'm sure you have and you will ensure the world see them now!" McCoy announced

Raiden stood and stared down the two young men. "How old are you?" he demanded.

The brothers peered to each other then back at Raiden. "Twenty four!" they announced proudly. "We've been fighting monsters long before you been… what do you do?" asked Knuckle. He was the one with the shaved head and thin bangs.

Raiden glared. "Yeah, fine recruits you got here Accel. It's already starting to feel like the heroes association…"

"Hey, whoa, no disrespect meant there!" said Street. "We're just testing you!" he laughed and gave a friendly punch in the arm to the Yokozuna. "Besides, you wouldn't want to face off against someone like us," teased Street.

"Hey, I like them already!" snickered Bad. "Confident, slightly cocky, but hey. I could work with them!"

"You don't seem so bad yourself short stack!" said Knuckle.

"What?" asked a confused Bad.

"Ahem!" announced Accel. "The brothers wish to go out for a while, perhaps do their first patrol. Doc has cleared them to step outside. Would anyone be willing to show them around?"

Bad's hand went up. "Yeah, I can," he said.

"BUT, I think I should." Called Shaw. "After all, I am one of the more experience Neo Heroes than Bad there. I'll do it."

"What did you say!?" Bad demanded.

But he got a glare from Shaw. Bad knew he has defiantly seen that before. Instantly he sat down and shut up. "Come on you two, let's get you some fresh air and… new clothing… My God what are you wearing?!"

"It was all the material I could find!" protested Street.

"I better come along too," sighed Ran. "Knowing you, you would get these two in some sort of trouble…"

"Say, before you go…" called Darkshine. "Mind if I spar with you for a moment? I want to test you boys out!"

"Sure, whatever you want to do. Where abouts do we go?" asked Street.

Darkshine stood and led the brothers out of the room. Curiosity got the better of Ran and Shaw as they were quick to follow.

As they walked out of the meeting room, Child Emperor was confused. "You said they were heroes from the past… what exactly were you implying there?" he questioned McCoy.

"In due time, Child Emperor, rest assured. For now, it is best to get them out and exposed to the world, for they will be two of our top heroes!"

#

"So… what's this about huh?" asked Knuckle. He stood with his arms crossed, Darkshine was grinning from ear to ear as he led them to the sparring room. There he stripped down to his Hero gear… or lack therefore of.

"I wanna see what you two can do. I mean you look strong, but if you lot those beer bellies of yours, you could look like me!"

Street smirked. "Really? That's it, you're telling us to lose some weight?" he laughed. "Look, no offense man, but I rather look the way I am than to be a muscle bound guy like you."

Darkshine smirked back. "Is that so? Tell me this then, if you're so strong, let's see you prove it! I've been training ever since I was a kid, lifting weights is my thing to say the least. I know you boys appear to do some weights, but not enough to look this good!"

"Appearances aren't everything." Knuckle replied. He stretched himself out and sighed. "Guess I'll do it, I want to go outside damn it." With that, he took off the crude clothing Street made for him, he was down to wearing jorts and yet he stood at the ready. "You can make the first move it you want, I don't really care at this point."

Darkshine grinned. "Guess you will be waiting on going outside, I'm gonna knock you out!"

Knuckle stood at the ready, he did a strange breathing technique, but then appeared ready to fight. He took no stance, yet his feet shifted just enough to change his center of gravity. Darkshine came running at him! The clash made the walls shake!

Despite the charge though, Darkshine was stopped dead in his track! Knuckle held him back and shook his head. "Not a wise move man… seriously, you don't go showing everything at once…"

Knuckle then shifted himself, he got under Darkshine and landed one blow against him! He stumbled back and yet was coughing aloud. The air was knocked out of his lungs. He couldn't catch his breath. "See, you got nothing buffering you there! This here… this ain't all fat!" Knuckle announced as he patted his stomach. Darkshine recovered, he gained his breath and yet, he appeared rather impressed.

"Not bad, now let's see you get serious!" he announced.

"Meh, another time. I want to go outside. I'll play with you later okay?" Knuckle said and gave him a wink. He got his clothing back on. "Ran, Shaw, where the hell does a guys like Street and I need to go and get some clothing!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Melee returned home with the kids. Garou was about to greet her, yet the moment his eyes came upon hers, he felt something was terribly wrong. The tears wielded up as she rushed to the bedroom and slammed the door. "Whoa… what the hell was that about!?" Snek asked.

"HECK!" protested Luna. "Mommy got upset at the park. Jason told us that his daddy was talking to someone and mentioned something about mommy, but we don't know what it was."

"Mom hasn't smiled since she spoke with Mr. Genus." Said Akira.

Garou froze to the news. "I'll… be right back…" he announced. "Snek…"

"Yeah, and the twins are home too. If I need help I'll call them."

"Thanks…" with that Garou left the house and decided to see what Dr. Genus said that made Melee so upset!

However, along the way, he was stopped, a monster was rampaging and it was a little too big to contend with for those on the ground. "Damn it…" he muttered. Genus would have to wait.

#

Before going on Patrols, Ran and Shaw took the brothers to get at least part of the Neo Hero uniform on to show the world that they were indeed heroes on patrol. It was easier said than done in the brother's minds.

Street and Knuckle took in the uniform; they were alike in color neon green and white just like all the other Neo Heroes they have seen, yet they didn't quite know what to make of it. "It doesn't seem… right, does it?" Street asked.

"Leaves nothing to intimidation…" muttered Knuckle. "Not to mention the material feels just like a shirt, so how is this going to protect us? I don't like sleeves either!" He tore off the sleeves and moved his arms about more freely, savoring the sensation of the air against his skin. "Ahh, much better!" he announced. He paused though as he felt the shirt roll up. "It doesn't quite do the job huh? It's a little snug."

"You don't like them either huh? Little suggestion, wear it under the clothing you do like to enjoy. As soon as we find you some, for now, this should keep you covered… mostly"

The brothers turned and saw Ran and Shaw lingering in the doorway with smiles on their faces. Ran nodded in agreement with his brother. "They aren't the best thing, I know, but they do absorb the impact of a strike quite well. It's worth keeping on yourself."

"Thanks… you know, nothing is where I remember it," said Street. "And I know everything in the cities, why do you think my name was Street? I knew them all! Just by watching the TV I see things out of place."

"Yeah, I mean, I know stuff changes after a monster attack, but how has it changed so much after the last one that took dad?" questioned Knuckle. "I was looking on the computer… even those things changed! City Z was full of people, but no one lives in a large section of it now, it's abandoned. What gives?"

"Sometimes change occurs when one doesn't notice it happening." Shaw said. "You want to go out and we can show you around?"

Street nodded. "Yeah, I want to get reacquainted with the world again, damn, I feel like I don't belong here. Don't you?"

Knuckle agreed. "Perhaps a quick tour is needed. Ran and Shaw right?" the brothers nodded. "You look familiar…"

"I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of that. Come on, we're wasting daylight!"

#

The brothers took it all in. Ran and Shaw explained the store and city they were in. Street was confused to it all. "This isn't right… I mean there was never a department store here… nor was that yogurt stand… What the hell is an M Class Dragon?" he asked as he took a paper off the rack. They wondered by a bookstore where the newspaper showed a picture of this demonic looking guy, but he appeared too young to be a fully-grown adult. "Garou…" he muttered. "I thought I heard Accel speak this guy's name before… this him?"

Shaw nodded. "Garou, aka the human monster, level dragon threat if he is inclined to be, but for now. They made a special class just for him and other like him at the heroes association before it fell recently. Now, he is classified as a monster, Dragon level threat," said Ran. "Accel HATES the fact that he was made a hero. I mean a monster protecting people?" he said and snickered to the thought. "Absurd don't you think?"

The brothers were silent to each other. "I rather see for myself," said Knuckle, only to crack his fists with anticipation. A devious grin came from his lips. "In fact, I rather see sooner than later what all the hype is about!"

Ran laughed. "Whoa, Garou isn't to be taken lightly, you know he defeated the whole S Class single handedly!"

"What an S Class?" asked Street, but paused he remembered some of the guys at the meeting, he and Knuckle were told earlier that they were S Class heroes… that has to mean something. The more the thought it over, the more he stared at the photo in the paper, but shook his head. "I got to learn more about this guy…"

Shaw froze. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

CRASH

The Brawler brothers saw it, a plume of smoke and dust went into the air. Something just attacked. "Finally some action! Let's go!"

For large men, they ran like the wind! Ran and Shawn were impressed to their speed as they made it to the point of the attack. Yet, they froze. A smile came over Knuckle as he saw him with his own eyes.

The Human Monster!

The creature that was destroying the city was already taken down. Garou however wasn't leaving just yet. Knuckle got a closer look but was stunned as the human monster began to devour the fallen. It was a simple task for him, he consumed every scrap and left nothing behind. "He eats monsters?" Knuckle demanded.

His voice caught his attention. The monster's tail still lingering out his mouth, yet a swift slurp had it vanish down his throat. Garou froze, but then appeared confused by the sight of him. His head even crooked to the side as he continued to stare at the brothers. "You're…" he began to say.

Knuckle only smirked and quickly interrupted him. "You… must be the human monster I heard so much about. I want to fight you!"

"Whoa, hey, this isn't…" Shaw tried to say.

"Come on, you're the human monster now aren't you? I heard you have skills, power and a technique that took down the S Class heroes… test it on a Neo Hero! ME!" he demanded.

Garou stood rather confused for the moment, he began picking his teeth as Knuckle stood at the ready. He sucked off the lodged meat from his claws before turning back to the brash Brawler. "Not here,"

Instantly Knuckle's fists lowered. "Not here? What do you mean not here? Huh? Aren't you this so called dragon level threat?" he demanded.

"I am," Garou said rather calmly. "But I ain't fighting you here. Too many people can get hurt, too much damage can be done. You want to fight, there's an old quarry outside of town, ten miles from here and away from the city. You want to do this, we'll do it there. I'll wait for you." With that Garou took off into the sky.

Knuckle then turned to his brother Street, just as surprised as he was. But either one said anything. "You're going, aren't you?" Ran asked with a sigh.

"Hell yeah!" Knuckle said and began to run. Street was close behind him. Ran and Shaw had no other option but to follow.

#

He has waited for something like this. Despite just waking up yesterday, Knuckle craved a good fight, and one just found him. However, given the situation and circumstance, he had many questions already going through his mind on the notion. But, now wasn't the time to dwell on them.

He ran as fast as he could to the outskirts of town to this old quarry Garou spoke of, a part of him worried though. Was this a wild goose chase? Was this guy merely toying with him, claiming he would be there waiting when in fact no one would be? He had to take the chance, there was a strange look on the face of this so called 'human monster'. Knuckle could feel it too. He just passed the threshold into the quarry. Knuckle looked about until he saw it.

There he was.

He nearly couldn't contain himself as he saw the human monster standing there, waiting for his arrival. It made the run all the more worth it in his mind.

As he caught his breath, Garou merely glared at him oddly. There was something he distrusted about him. "Hey, Neo Hero… do you have a name?" he demanded.

Knuckle only smirked. "Ah, ah. I don't reveal everything about me at once there!" Yet there was a grin on his face, he just couldn't get rid of it. "I got to admit, you already surprised me."

"Huh?"

"You didn't want to fight me then and there… not really an answer I was expecting out of you… A dragon level threat… that must have taken some work to get that kind of a title to say the least."

"Look, can we hurry this up. I got to be somewhere…"

"Really?" Street muttered as he caught up to his brother. Ran and Shaw were close behind him. "Where does something like you need to go to? Don't monsters just wonder about doing what they please?"

"I don't have to tell you where I am going, I just got someplace to be, so hurry up and get your ass kicking!"

Knuckle began to crack his fists, he stretched himself out and about before eyeing his opponent, and the smile grew once more as he could hardly contain himself. "Don't disappoint me…"

There was a strange look on Garou's face. "Fine, I learned a new trick recently…" The four froze as Garou's face stressed and tensed. His body began to contort oddly, the demon like serpent that appeared on his flesh appeared to drift deeper into his body, his tail wrapped around his waist and nearly vanished into him, his wings retracted and pulled into his back as his one powerful clawed hands began to look nearly human once more! He stressed himself in doing this, yet. He nearly appeared human! "GAAAHHH!" he roared, the task winded him a little, but then, he stared at Knuckle. "There, I won't accidently lash you open."

"My God…" whispered Shaw.

Garou stretched himself out and ensured he was ready for a fight. He merely waved Knuckle to come at him. He didn't even take a stance as Knuckle came running. When he was in range, his fists flew. And yet, they struck nothing but air. '_He's that fast? I know I got the fastest fists in the family! Dad even said so!_'

Time and time again he tried to land a strike but was unable to. Garou didn't even appear to be moving half the time. But then, he caught him off guard. Knuckle went to sweep him off from under his feet, but as quickly as Garou avoided it, Knuckle managed to get to his own and land a single strike! Right into the stomach of the human monster, and yet there was no oof. No sound of discomfort, Knuckle felt his hand flinch and the strike recoil. '_Damn it, I hurt myself more than hurting him!_'

He backed off just as he felt his arm tremor from the impact, Knuckle tried to shake it off when Garou growled. "My turn."

Without warning, Knuckle took an open palm shot to the chest. His hand struck so fast the sound barrier broke! The strike sent him down the quarry! His body jumped and skidding along the way and hitting and embankment rather hard! His lip split open, his body cut and nicked. The air knocked out of his lungs. "So…" he wheezed. "This… is the dragon… level threat…"

Garou slowly approached him, he was in no rush to finish him off, and yet as he towered over him, he glared down at Knuckle. "Not bad for a Neo Hero," he said bitterly.

Knuckle smirked. "Not bad for a monster."

"I'm done here… you had enough?"

Knuckle slowly picked himself off the ground, he stared down Garou before nodding. "For now… I've seen all I came to see…"

"Good."

With the fight over, he unleashed himself again, the tail lashed out, he dragons emerged up through his flesh once again, and his wings burst from his back.

A powerful gale wind followed. Garou took off into the sky and vanished into the sun. Street approached his brother, the two were oddly silent as they kept looking to the skies.

"Huh, I didn't think it would have bothered to face the likes of you." Said Ran.

"Indeed, interesting to say the least. Why does he even care?" questioned Shaw.

Knuckle walked back towards them with a limp in his step. He braced under his right rib as he announced. "Let's go back on patrol…" and walked pass the two brothers.

"Wait, you're hurt!" protested Ran. "Take a moment…"

"That was nothing. He wasn't even trying. Nor was I." said Knuckle. He stunned the two brothers as Street merely nodded his head. "Dad's rule, never show everything at once. Especially when evaluating an opponent."

"Wait… why were you testing him?" asked Ran. "I thought you wanted to fight him for real!"

He laughed. "After hearing him take down the S Class, I can only assume they are an elite force to battle. If that's the case, I knew I had a snowball's chance in hell! Garou is the real deal, but I wasn't testing his power. I was testing him."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Child Emperor tried to get more information. There was something important about Street and Knuckle, he knows he heard their name once before yet couldn't put his finger on it. As he tried to research their names, he jumped as the head quarter's sirens went off. His computer went into sudden shut down mode as the power in the building began to wavier. The warning system however remained online.

"Level Dragon Threat in the facility!" it blared over and over again.

"Level Dragon?" he whispered. The computer regained power. He was quick to hack into the computer security cameras, he tried to find what set off the alarm… then the front gate blow off its hinges! A six foot thick iron door meant to stop monster attacks was no more. He stormed in without fear of the consequences. "Garou!?"

Immediately he got out of the lab, he wasn't the only one rushing to the scene. There were Neo Heroes confronting him left right and center. Fifty in total, and all were swatted away like flies! Garou's body unraveled as he unleashed the hoards of coiled monster like dragons from his body. The grabbed, whipped, lashed at anything looking like a Neo Hero until the path was cleared. He kept moving without even landing a strike of his own. He reached the front door, there he ripped them off their hinges. The dragons lashed about, tearing through the walls, ripping down lights and destroying anything in their wake! "I WANT ANSWERS… NOW!" He roared in the halls.

His sights set on Child Emperor. "Garou… take it easy, what is this about?" he asked.

"YOU DAMN WELL KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT YOU SHITTY BRAT! WHAT ROLE DID YOU PLAY IN THIS?" he moved too fast to be stopped. Child Emperor was grabbed by the scruff of the shirt, off his feet and forced against the wall. "ANSWER ME!"

"What are you talking about? Garou, calm down, what has you so upset?!"

WACK

Right upside the head, he was struck, and yet, he didn't even flinch. It was as if he didn't even feel it! However, his body reacted. Bad was forced to the other side of the wall and held in place by Garou's dragons. "STAY OUT OF THIS ASSHOLE!"

"You gone off your nut! What the hell is this!?"

"YOU… WILL ANSWER ME!" Garou growled as his eyes began to glow blood red. "**_Where… did you find them?_**" he demanded as it turned into a monstrous tone.

"Who? What are you talking about?"

"**_Street… Knuckle… where did you FIND THEM_**!" he roared.

"I don't know! They are new recruits! Accel brought them in, we don't know where he found them, McCoy was talking in riddles about it. We don't know anything else!" Child Emperor announced.

Garou sneered, he dropped Child Emperor abruptly, and then he released Bad from the wall. "I will find out…" he warned. "And if any of you… has anything to do with this… **_I will kill you_**."

He walked out after that, just as the other Neo Heroes regrouped and were about to engage him in battle. He was already gone.

Child Emperor felt his heart racing in his chest. It was the first time he had encountered the human monster in that state before. Bad too froze as he shook his head to it all. "Shit… I mean… SHIT!" he announced. "What the hell was that about!?"

Child Emperor trembled, just as Accel and Raiden came on the scene. They froze at the carnage around them, the Neo Heroes knocked unconscious outside, the damage done to their hall and main gate. "What happened?" asked Accel.

"Garou…" was all Child Emperor could say.

Despite the damage done, a smile came over Accel. "Well… If I didn't know any better, I'd say… he just rampaged."

Raiden was smiling too. "Which means… the hunt is on for the human monster and his kin!"

"Whoa, wait! He didn't do this because he felt like it. Something pissed him off!" protested Bad, and yet it was no excuse to what just happened. "He's upset about something, was it the new guys?"

"Yeah… he wanted to know about Knuckle and Street, that's what upset him. Why would it though?" asked Child Emperor.

"Either way, he rampaged, innocent people got hurt, our men are considered innocent, which means. He's a threat to everyone!" stated Raiden. "Let's make a plan here and now, how do we go about doing this?"

Raiden and Accel walked off, Bad however knew there was something more to this. Garou won't be in a talking mood, so he did the next best thing. He called his sister. "Z, favor to ask of you… I got to talk to Pac…"

#

With the patrols done for the day, new clothing found and purchased for the large brothers. Street began to feel more at ease with the city. He began to familiarize himself with his surroundings and yet, he still couldn't help but feel he and his brother were out of place. "Ran, Shaw. What made you two want to become heroes?" he asked.

Ran laughed as Shaw snickered. "Something to do I suppose, I mean, we are rather skilled martial artists, better using it for something than just sitting around all day drinking sake. Right?" said Shaw.

Street nodded, but paused as Knuckle stopped a moment, he hocked up a wad of phlegm and blood before spitting it out on to the street. "Shit, that bastard hit me harder than I thought!"

"Walk it off bro, you'll be fine."

"You sure you're okay?" asked Ran.

"Fine, peachy in fact."

They walked back into headquarters, however, the four froze at the sight of the damage done. "What… happened here?" whispered Street.

Shaw sighed aloud. "I have a feeling I know…" he muttered.

The four wondered back in, yet Street paused and saw the destruction to the surrounding barrier. The door was torn out with ease by the looks of it, taking a good portion of the wall with it. Half of the door was on one side of the compound, the other half on the other side. There were sprawled out Neo Heroes everywhere, battered and bloodied, but none killed.

His sights then turned to the front door as they too were torn off their hinges. In fact the whole front area of HQ appeared as if a hurricane went through it! "My God… A monster attacked this place?" he whispered.

"Not just any monster, Garou!" announced Accel. He came down the hall and explained what happened. The human monster snapped and decided to send a message to the Neo Heroes directly. "He rampaged, we had made a promise to one of our recruit that if he joined us, we leave those in the M Class alone unless they do something like this. Well, one of them did!"

"So you are going to punish them all for the act of one?" asked Knuckle. "That's stupid!"

"They attacked us!" protested Accel.

Knuckle appeared to think things over for a moment, he looked about at the damage and then he stared at the injured. "On what grounds? You said Garou did this? Why? There has to be a purpose. I fought with him today and sense no malic in him when I did. He didn't even try, yet he wasn't out to kill or harm me despite the fact that I challenged him!" Knuckle protested. "No, this isn't out of pettiness or to send a message… this destruction was out of anger, pain…"

"You WHAT!"

Knuckle stopped his observation and turned to Accel. "I… fought him… to gauge his character. It's how we always judge someone in my family. You fight and see what is in their heart. He meant no harm to me, so the question is, what made him do this? What upset him?"

"We're looking into it, for now, you stay away from him, both you and Street!" he ordered. Accel walked off, as the brothers appeared as confused as ever.

"Okay…" muttered Knuckle.

"Perhaps we should call it a day. You two get something to eat and some rest, I think we have to talk to Accel about something." Stated Shaw.

"Yeah, I think we will do that. Let's go Street." Knuckle said as he nudged his head down towards the other hall. They walked away and yet, there was a look on Knuckle's face.

"There's a lot more to this, isn't there?" asked Street.

"Yep. So, late night tonight?"

"You know it, you?"

"Gonna sneak out, there were areas that are still familiar to me, one includes the seedy underbelly of the city, the entrance and markings are still up, it's being used."

"Be careful bro."

"When am I not?" Knuckle asked with a smirk.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Melee kept to her room, she couldn't stop the tears from falling. No matter how hard she tried, they refused. What Genus said brought her joy and pain all at once. She knows having her brothers back means the world to her; never did she consider the notion of having them cloned before. However, it would be playing God. How could she explain to them how they came back? Would they still be the same brothers she grew up with? Would they turn their lives around from being heroes to being villains for they are not the same men?

She had no answers to her questions, but the one she wanted to know most was. Would they remember her?

The last time she saw her brothers, she was only 14 years old. Despite her age, she appeared a little older than she looked, which secured her a job with Amai Mask. Street and Knuckle never saw her grow up, they don't know the young woman she became... or what has become of her.

Genus tried to tell her that memories can come back to a clone, however it needs to be done so slowly, so it does not overwhelm them. "I've seen them go mad when they take on too much information. They have to be ready for it." She remembered him saying.

She wanted to see them, she wanted to know if they knew her. If they didn't, she would leave them alone and let them live their lives without her. If her brothers could be kept safe and have a fulfilling lives, she would gladly step away and allow them to have it.

They would do the same for her.

"Melee…"

She froze to the gentle voice of Garou, but, she also heard pain in it too. Slowly, she turned to face him. His eyes said it all. "What did you do?" she whispered.

He was silent. He said nothing about his action, but she knew he had done something terrible. Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. "Garou…" she said, her hand reached up as she gently turned his face towards her. "What happened? What did you do?"

He then peered at her. "I fought your brother." He said.

She froze, she felt the blood drain from her face as she digested the notion. "I didn't hurt him… much… I hit him once… but not hard!" he explained. "I think he wanted to test me."

"He did test you." She whispered. "He was seeing what kind of person you were."

"Yeah… well… I was on my way to see Genus, after your ran to the room. I wanted to know what made you upset when I had to stop a monster. Only, after I did… I saw them. Your brothers standing before me with two Neo Heroes, I knew then and there why you were crying. When it became clear… I got pissed off."

She knew he would. Garou doesn't like it when she gets upset, but still. In his anger he is capable of terrible things. "I… accidently attacked the Neo Heroes HQ…" he said.

"What…" she whispered. "Garou, you know the agreement Drax put in place for this family!"

"Yeah… and I blew it." He hung his head, yet still he growled, clenching his fists in rage. "But they hurt you, I mean who the fuck do they think they are! Who gives them the right to screw around with the dead? They are your goddamn brothers and they are using them!" he roared.

Melee froze, he was far more upset about it than she was!

"Garou, we can't just go out and do things like this…"

"At the moment, I could give a rat's ass! Melee, they are family!" he announced.

She was taken aback by his words. He sighed aloud, but appeared to already regret his action. "I didn't want to see you cry anymore… I wanted to go to Genus and see what we could do to get your brothers to remember you… I wanted to talk to Alley about another extension on the house so they can live here."

He was planning all this in his head for her. Melee began to tear up again, but it was out of pure love and devotion. "You were going to do all that, for me?" she asked.

"Yeah…" he whispered.

She threw her arms around him, bracing him tighter than ever before. "Garou…" she wept.

He held her tightly, they fell silent for the longest time until Melee felt ready to face the family again. "We… will figure something out. For now, I am just glad to know they are back in this world." She said.

He nodded in agreement, they left the room together, yet froze as Snek, Goliath and Draven had covered the Triplet's ears. They finally let them go when they saw them leave the room.

"Wow… dad… I don't think I have heard words like that come out you in a while!" said Draven.

"Sorry, heat of the moment… let's leave the TV off for the night." Said Garou.

"Too late, you're already treading on Twitter." Said Snek.

"Damn social media."

"Mommy, are you okay now?" asked Luna.

Melee smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine, mommy got a little upset over something." She explained.

Akira, Eclipsa and Luna were quick to give her a hug. "It's okay mom," whispered Akira. "We're here for you"

"Right in the feelings kids…" she wept.

The room paused as Drax emurged from his room, in hand was his phone as he turned and glared at Garou.

Garou swallowed his pride before stated.

"I blew it."

Drax froze to the comment. "What… what were you thinking?"

Garou told him everything that happened, he blew the arrangement made with the Neo Heroes. Yet, he tried to explain why. "I want you to meet two of the new guys for us, Street and Knuckle. When you do, I will tell you why I am so upset…" he paused as Melee began to weep once more. "Probably sooner than later."

He was confused, a hint of anger came over him but he took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay… Okay…" he muttered and went to his room one more. The door slammed shut, even Snek cringed.

"He's pissed."

"ANGRY!" protested Luna. "Why must everyone say bad words!?" she demanded.

"Sometimes… sweetheart, bad words come out because the ones that don't hurt, aren't good enough to say." Melee explained. "When you are older, you will understand."

Luna was confused by her explanation. "Does this mean we get to swear when we're older?!" asked Eclipsa with a slight hint of excitement to her voice.

"Yes, but not at your siblings, your family or those you care about. Everyone else is fair game, but if we are trying to be polite to someone new or rather important and they say something back, hold off until you get home." Garou explained.

Akira even appeared excited to the news, they will be able to swear when they get older.

#

Drax was fuming.

He paced about the room, wondering why Garou went and ruined the agreement. Not only that, it puts the whole family at risk again. Even his father! He had to talk to someone about it, anyone for that matter! Taking his home phone, he made the call.

"Amai Mask."

"Do you have a moment… I really need someone to talk to." He tried to keep his voice strong, yet he himself heard it wavering. Drax was upset to say the least, but he never felt this angry before.

There was silence on the end, but he also heard a production going on in the background. "Maybe another time then…"

"Wait!" Amai said. He could hear the phone pull away, then a voice calling out. "I need two hours… please, a two hour break."

There was silence until he heard. "Where would you like me to meet you?"

"Outside of Bang's dojo if you please, is that possible?"

Amai snickered and said he would be there soon. With that, Drax walked out of his room, he didn't tell the family where he was going or why, he just left before anyone could question him. He waited no more than ten minutes outside of Bang's dojo when he appeared.

Amai dressed to the nines to say the least, but he was also in the middle of production. He smiled warmly at first but saw Drax wasn't smiling back. "Ah, I take it you know then."

"Yeah… Garou blew it!" he growled. Frustrated tears soon followed. "What the hell is his problem?"

Amai took a seat on the step next to Drax, he sighed aloud. "This was part of the reason why I thought he should be killed. Garou has a great amount of power within him, and one wrong move, or action would set him off. I do think it is remarkable that he didn't kill anyone. But the damage done is quite extensive."

Drax shook his head to it all. "He attacked the Neo Heroes!"

"Fifty of them are in hospital." Amai explained. "He did extensive structural damage to the front barricade and them the main lobby. There has been no explanation as to why just yet."

"He told me something about two new guys the Neo Heroes hired, saying I have to meet them in order to understand. I didn't pay attention to the names, I was too pissed off!"

"I don't blame you the least bit. Garou needs to keep his temper in check or he not only risks his own life, but that of his family's. I don't know what will happen now, but if the Neo Heroes do decide to strike, it will be war no doubt. I don't even think they know what they would be getting themselves into if they happen to go after him. None of the S Class did, I most certainly didn't when I first faced Garou in such a state."

"I only heard bits of that story of Awakened Garou," said Drax.

Amai sighed. "I don't wish to tell you the full story, but I do recall, when I spoke with Saitama a while back. What we faced back then, Awakened Garou… is nothing compared to the Garou of today. His strength is nearly double what it was, probably greater now considering how much time has passed."

"Whoa…"

"Indeed. Which is why I keep a close eye on him. He cannot do this again, if he does… the world will think he has lost control, when the world turns on you. It's a battle that will not end well for anyone." He stood up off the step. Amai kept peering at the boarded up Dojo and sighed. "I do wonder where Bang has gone off to. Now would be the time to have the old man slap some sense into him."

Drax snickered to that, but Amai wasn't. "I do apologize, I have to go back, are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, thanks for listening. And thank you for dropping everything to do it."

"Any time." Amai made his way down the stairs once more, but half way down, he made a dead leap to the bottom step. Drax froze for the moment, remembering what he did to a monster. The strength he possessed, that wasn't coming from his father. It came from Sweet Mask!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Knuckle was quick to change into the new clothing he got. One thing for certain he needed was a massive hoodie to bring up and over his head. When he goes into the Underbelly of the cities, he doesn't like to be seen. Despite his large stature he was quite good at blending in and appearing faceless in a crowd. It's what the villains hated about him, he could get in and out with them noticing. Then, when it came time to take them down, he knew everything. Where they were, their favorite locations to eat and drink or just hang out. But tonight, it wasn't about bounty hunting. It was information gathering.

Knuckle snuck out in the dead of night, he didn't have to go far either, down the street, take a right, a left and then down to the subway tunnels that have long since been abandoned. He remembered the markings on the walls that the underworld liked to use. What appeared nothing more than teenage graffiti was actually code for what is there. Tonight, he was going to a tavern.

The subway tunnel was filthy to say the least, yet it was home to those who called the streets their property. He followed the path down to the end of the platform, there he found a small set of stairs that went onto the tracks. Within the wall a mere 100 feet away was a door, he could smell the smoke from where he stood. Knuckle walked in, his head lowered as he kept near the back and listened around. These thugs were talking about the neo Heroes, how the M Class dragons were no more and the association that fell.

"About damn time, now we can kill those freaks without real punishment!"

"Yeah, good luck on that. You saw the news. Garou attacked the Headquarters on his own! He wasn't even trying!"

"No shit, perhaps it's better to take out his children first, they can't be that strong now, can they?"

Knuckle looked up and peered about, all over the walls were the underworld bounties, prices placed on the head of heroes that they wanted dead. There was a wall though dedicated to Garou and his so call family as the patriots put it. Knuckle was curious as he approached and stared at the photos. There was an older picture of the human monster, one when he was human. 40 million yen was placed on his head. Curious, he took the photo off and stared at it.

"Oh good luck boy!" he heard a voice yell. Knuckle turned as he realized he got the attention of the whole establishment. "That's the OLD bounty placed on his head. You want the new one, besides, he don't look like that no more."

"About that… how did he go from this to that?" Knuckle asked. "Quite drastic if you think about it."

The bar laughed. "Kid don't know shit!"

One woman cackled. "You naïve fool!" she said. "Garou sought to become the strongest. When that bounty was put on him, he decimated a room full of criminals when the Heroes association was BEGGING for help to fight monsters. Not only did he take out three A Class heroes, he took out the whole room! Some of us here being among those he knocked out."

"YOU WEREN'T THERE!" one of the criminals yelled. He sat there at the back of the room shaking like a leaf. "He… he wasn't even trying… the kid was too much… he was just a kid… just a kid!" he muttered.

Knuckle turned back to the board and saw the new photo of Garou. In his monster form, the bounty on him went to 6 billion yen! "Really, 6 billion huh? No one has tried?" he asked.

The room erupted with laughter. "You got a death wish!" the woman snickered. "No one, goes after Garou. NO ONE" she stated.

Knuckle turned back to the board and found one torn, it was a woman's face with scales under her neck, her eyes white as her hair was medium length and flat. The name however was torn off. "That's his wife." One man stated. "Just as deadly if you piss her off. Especially if you come after her children."

"He has kids?"

"Last I heard five, rumor was he just had more!"

Knuckle kept staring at the photo. She reminded him of someone, but couldn't quite place the name. So he looked over the other photos. He has children that are nearly a dead ringer for Garou himself. Yet for someone so young, how come his children appear the same age as him?!

Two appeared just like him but different color scales and hair, an older daughter who looked like her mother. But then, he froze. There were two that were remarkably different. They still had their father's resemblance, yet one of them, Knuckle swore he saw his own father's looks in him. "Strange, that or it's a coincidence." He thought.

Then there were three, not even related to Garou or the others. One he knew. "Biting Snake Fist Snek… I remember him. He was fighting with dad once, he was a lot younger too…" as he stared at the picture, he wondered why he looked like a serpent now.

Then there was Lightning Max. "Didn't I go to school with a guy that had spiked hair? He was in track and field if I remember… GAH!" he froze as the headache returned, he wouldn't put stress on his mind trying to recall the face. The last one was Suiryu. A young man with great strength, but he didn't know who he was the least bit.

"You ain't thinking about going for a bounty, are you, kid?" Knuckle turned and saw the people haven't stopped staring at him.

"No… no, just curious is all." He explained. This wall had the greatest amount of money put on their heads. The lowest was Snek by the looks of it, but at 625 million yen was nothing to sneeze at. Knuckle continued to look about the walls, when one caught his eye.

300 million yen, Amai Mask.

"Him… I remember… how could I forget!" he growled. Knuckle felt the anger and rage every time he heard the name or seen the face of Amai, yet there was no reasoning behind it, not just yet. Still, the man boiled his blood.

"Listen, kid. You're new to this ain't, yeah? Take it from me, Bull-Bull and go for low level heroes first. Then aim bigger!" He turned and saw a man in a bull outfit explaining how to do things, however Knuckle smirked.

"Thanks for the advice, I'll mange."

"Just who the hell are you anyway. I ain't see you here before?" Bull-Bull asked.

"Just someone passing through, nothing more."

He turned his back as someone reached for his hood. Knuckle was quick to grab the arm and lob them over his head and on to the table. The room stood on end as he froze to his actions, yet quickly collected himself. "Don't touch me." He warned. Yet he looked about the room to see if anyone else would try something. There was temptation. He could feel it. "I ain't looking for a fight, if you are. I warn you now… you won't be getting up for last call." Knuckle warned.

They backed off. He straightened his jacket and went on his way. He got a little detail on Garou and his family, yet he needed more. Who was the woman with the bounty placed next to his? What happened to Snek and the other two men? Why did one of those children he has possess some of his own father's resemblance?

#

Street found the computer lab.

He was fascinated to how the technology changed, despite it, he was able to use it well enough to get what he was looking for. "Okay big shot, who the hell are you…" he whispered and typed in the name.

Garou.

Instantly files pulled up. Photos appeared of heroes beaten down and their injuries listed. Street went through the list of all those he took out, he wrote down names and ranks incase he encountered these heroes in the streets. Perhaps they will have more details.

He went on to read the history of Garou, how he was a top disciple at a dojo run by former S Class hero Bang, aka Silverfang Rank 3. But after he went mad, wanting more of a challenge. He attacked the other student and was quickly dealt with by Bang who beat him and expelled Garou. But, it didn't stop him.

"He went from Dojo to Dojo, causing devastation in his wake, he learned everything that they offered through forced combat until nothing was left to gain. He went on until the Heroes Association called in the Underworld criminals for help in dealing with growing monster attacks. Garou took out three Class A heroes including ripping the arm off of one…" He froze. "Shit, this kid wasn't joking around."

"After the heroes defeat, he set his sights on the criminals, stating he was on the side of monsters, and therefore they were against him. He decimated the room and walked out on his own accord."

Street paused. "This defiantly isn't the same guy we met earlier." He kept reading the reports, Garou went on to fight the Tank Top Army, took out S Class Heroes Tank Top Master and Metal Bat… wait, Metal Bat has info on this guy!?" Street jotted a note to remember to ask Bad later about this.

There was more, the association classified him as a level dragon threat, and worried that Garou joined the monsters association. He vanished for some time after a hoard of monsters came up and attack Bang, his brother Bomb and S Class hero Genos. He returned only to vanish once more. "Reports indicated by S Class Heroes that Garou transformed into a monster, became known as Awakened Garou. Their battle is unknown, but all that is reported is Garou was defeated, yet escaped before he could be killed." That report was done over seven years ago.

"Seven years…" muttered Street.

He began to feel tired, despite the details he has yet to read. Street called it a night and decided to sleep on it for the moment. His mind does this, when there is new information, he tended to fall asleep in order to retain it. Yet the night brought about a strange and yet vivid dream…


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

His mind went into a 'what if' scenario.

If his father hadn't died, what would have happened if they encountered Garou during his 'Hero hunting' phase of his life? Street began to have a good indication.

I would be shortly after the Tank Top Army fell, Garou cleaning the blood from his hands yet as he turned, he would encounter the Brawlers. "Quite a mess ya made boy."

"Who the fuck are you?"

A massive burly man snickered as he scratched his beard. "Don't really matter now, don't it? You ever heard of a Brawler before? We like to fight, but not just anyone… Did that poor kid have to get his face smashed in?" he asked pointed to Muman Rider.

Garou would smirk. "He calls himself a hero… I take it you do as well old, fat man?" he would take his stance, his hands poised to strike as he smiled towards him. Lingering behind him would be Street himself and his brother Knuckle at the ready. They already saw him take out the Tank Top Army, the guy has skill and strength no doubt, the question remains, why is he using it for this?

"If I said yes, you going to come at me with all ya got?"

The sinister grin grew. Next thing Street knew Garou was in a full charge! He took aim right at his father who was quick to block and push Garou off balance. It started him a little, he didn't expect a man this big to move as fast! Yet he quickly regrouped, this time, he landed the blow, right across his face, Street froze as his father flew through the air, yet before he hit the ground he turned himself enough to roll back on to his feet. He was missing a tooth now, his nose and lip split open as a deranged smirk came over the old man. "That's some punch you go kid."

"I ain't trying yet!"

SMASH.

Knuckle came out of nowhere, catching Garou off guard with a single strike! The kid stumbled back and yet kept on his feet. "Can take a hit, impressive… OOF!" Knuckle was struck multiple times in a single swoop! He was knocked back and into the bush, he didn't get up again.

Street stood, as Garou's glare turned towards him. "Too scared?" teased the human monster.

"Nah," Street stated. "Just observing you. I got most of the details I needed." With that, he went in. He knew he wasn't going to win, but allowed Garou to get his shot in before knocking Street back and out.

He would come too a few minutes later. Despite the blood he laid in, it wasn't that bad of a beating. "Hey, don't move, we're going to get you some help!" he woke to the voice of paramedics, Street waved them off as he picked himself off the ground.

"No thanks, take care of those boys first. I'll walk it off. Knuckle! Dad!" his brother came too, his father shook off the beating, and he now has a black eye and a sprained arm.

"Okay, let's go home, no doubt we won't hear the end of this tonight." His father muttered.

They would retreat home to City B, in a small apartment where a hot meal would be waiting for them. As they sat down, their father then turned to him. "So, what did we learn tonight?"

"He has power, no doubt about it. Constantly growing the more he his challenge, no doubt that's his aim. Genius combatant skills, seeing a move once, he will be able to replicated it. Also, once he has observed one's fighting style, he has already created a means and counter action to aid style," Street announced.

"Hits hard, could hit harder, strange though, for someone looking to be a monster, it's not what I was expecting." Said Knuckle.

His father nodded in agreement. "Lacked conviction, despite stating he was going to kill everyone, no one died. Which means, he isn't aiming to kill." They devoured their meal until his father called out. "ARE YOU NOT JOINING US?"

Street could recall a young fourteen year old girl, yet with the time that has supposedly passed, he envisioned a young woman that emerged from the kitchen with a small plate. "Sis, that ain't enough!" said Knuckle. "You're losing too much weight, eat!"

"I'm okay, this is more than enough for me…"

"Sister, we're worried about you. You need to eat to grow up strong!" Street protested.

"This is fine, I assure you." She ate in silence as father appeared concerned.

"It's that damn Amai Mask again isn't it! Is he telling you to lose weight!" he demanded.

She said nothing. She would speak ill will of Amai, especially since her job kept food on the table. It upset them, Street in particular since he has seen his sister suffer first hand. She would always go without since they ate so much more than she did.

Knuckle then scraped some of his food on to her plate. "Eat it!" he ordered.

"Really, I'm not that hungry!" she protested.

"You eat it or I swear you will not go back and work for that smug asshole again!" her father warned.

"I'm Class B dad! I won't work for him anymore!" she protested.

"Then you won't be doing hero stuff until I see that plate cleared young lady!" There was no choice as she cleaned her plate, when done she took everyone else's and washed the dishes. "I wouldn't be lecturing me on my habits, considering yours! You can put your own Band-Aids on tonight!" she scolded.

When they were alone, Street turned to his father. "So… what do we do about Garou?" he asked.

His father went into a deep though, but then a smirk came over him. "What we always do." He said.

Knuckle cringed, Street never liked it when his father stated his intentions that way. It can lead to disaster!

#

Street woke up in a cold sweat.

That dream… it felt so real.

"Sister…" he whispered.

"Huh… Street? You're awake?" muttered Knuckle. Street turned to his brother, the look of panic came over him as he realized what was missing.

"We have a sister…" he said.

Knuckle appeared confused at first, he didn't quite understand what he was getting at. "A sister… you sure man? I mean, I don't think that was possible. I am sure it was just us and dad…"

"No, there's a sister… she… worked for… someone… Mask…" he said as he tried to recall the dream he just had.

Knuckle snapped out of bed. "Amai Mask!" then he held his head painfully. "Yeah… Amai… sis worked for Amai Mask!" then, his eyes shot open. "Sister! We did have a sister!"

"Yeah, but now the question is, what happened to her? Last I remember she was fourteen years old, but in my dream just now… she was an older teenager," said Street.

"She looked a little older for her age which was how she got the job… yeah… I remember that now. She… she's alive, right? Or did she die with dad?"

The brothers were wide-awake now, remember a family member they nearly forgot existed. "I can't even remember her name, who she was, what she looked like, I got a hint of it in my dreams, but… I couldn't picture her being any older." Street tried to recall his dream, if it was accurate his sister would nearly be the same age as Garou if that were the case. But, he couldn't imagine her being such an age.

"Bro, maybe we should look for her tomorrow huh? I mean we got to do patrols, how hard could it be?" Knuckle asked.

"Perhaps, or we could just ask, I mean our family history book has to be somewhere right?"

"Yeah…" Knuckle flopped back down in his bed. "I didn't tell you what I learned tonight. The underground criminals have a huge ass bounty on the head of Garou and his family. The thing was, I think it was one of his kids, and his kids look as old as him! But one… had some of dad in him."

"Really? Could it just be a coincidence?"

"I don't know, but they said Garou has five kids, rumor has it he just had more. Why he is breeding and with who. I don't know, but there was something of interest. Do you remember a young hero named Snek?" he asked.

"Yeah, that guy was just getting started, helped dad a few times in a fight, good potential. Why?"

"He's become a monster in a sense, a human snake of all things… but he was a lot older than what I remember."

Street fell silent.

"Brother…" Knuckle said gently. "This is wrong, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is… I have never felt so out of place before. It is as if… I mean, I feel like I was ripped out of a moment in the past, and brought here…"

"Me too." Knuckle sighed. "Well, perhaps tomorrow, we will see what we can find."

"Yeah, I still got to finish reading up on Garou. There a whole section I missed, but perhaps a clear mind will see what is really going on."

Knuckle agreed. The two tried to fall back asleep, yet Street had trouble. "Say bro, if sis is still alive… would she remember us?"

"If sis is still alive, how could she not know we were?"

Dread filled Street the moment he uttered those words, if what he said is true, then his sister could very well be gone, just like their father…


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

He waited for him.

Just on the outskirts of town, Bad paced back and forth, waiting for Pac to arrive. Zenko sent the message on to him, she replied and said Pac promised to Bad all would be explained the moment he arrived. When Pac appeared, Bat turned to him with a sneer. "What the hell is with Garou!?" he demanded.

Pac was silent at first, "Let's get something to eat." Was all he could say.

Bad growled at the notion as he continued on into the city. They stopped by an ice cream place and got a quick snack. Pac took his time with his sundae, Bad however was getting impatient. That was, until he saw Pac's chest open. The serpents revealed a space as he reached in and took something out. From there he placed it on to the table and slid it towards Metal Bat. "What the hell is this?" he demanded.

"The answer to my father's rage. Why he went on a rampage."

Bad was quick to snap the paper up and turn it over. He froze, and stared at it with great confusion. "What… dude, it's a photo!" he stated. "Yeah, the new guys and some young girl. What the hell has him upset over this?" he demanded and tossed the photo back.

Pac sighed. "Street and Knuckle… that young girl there… is my mother. This was the last photo taken before her brothers died in a monster attack three weeks later." He explained.

Bad suddenly went very pale, his ice cream dropped to the floor as he took the photo back and stared at it. The more he looked, the more he realized the young girl in the photo was Melee. "Whoa… wait… what!?" he demanded. "They DIED!"

Pac nodded. "Mom was at work, she was about to quit her job with Amai Mask. After all, she wanted to be home since her father and brothers held off on joining a pilot project that would be ground work for the Heroes Association. It was in a testing stage within the government to see if it was plausible, they were going to sign the contract when the monster attacked. Granddad died first, Street and Knuckle died trying to get out before the monster took them down. They were crushed under two buildings."

Bad began to understand now, he remembered Garou yelling, demanding Child Emperor where they found them; then, mentioning something if they were a part of this, he would kill them. "Shit, that explains everything. I would be pissed off too! But, Garou came and attacked? I would expect Melee to do that!"

Pac shook his head. "Mom… mom I glad to have them back, they are alive, but she fears they won't remember her. Not to mention, she also fears that if she were to get close to them, they could be targeted and taken from her once more. She's at a loss right now, she was too upset to leave her room the moment she found out. Dad… dad gets furious, especially when mom is crying like that. He doesn't like to see her in such a state. Neither do I or my siblings."

"He did a number, that's for sure…" Bad muttered. "So… what do we do?"

"Nothing," Pac whispered. "Mom was warned earlier that too much bombardment of information could cause madness to her brothers. They have been cloned no doubt, but if too much comes at them at once. It can drive them insane. That's why she avoids them right now. She doesn't want to hurt them. Until they are ready for that information, mom is going to steer clear to say the least."

"Shit…" Bad muttered as he ran his finger through his hair, his leg began jolting up and down as he tried to think of something to do to help. "I don't want your mom hurt. She's an awesome friend, and she has a good heart. I want to help her but I can't push this either…"

"Just keep an eye on them, if they ask question, yeah, answer them. It means they can handle it, but don't bring something up that may cause them pain." Pac suggested. He stared down at the photo and sighed. "I would like to meet them too, I mean… I got Uncles!" he said with a small smile to his lip. But it quickly faded. "But I am not going to meet them before mom has a chance to speak with them first."

"Yeah… sorry about today." Bad muttered.

"I should be the one apologizing, dad went off the stick to say the least, that was overkill on his part."

"No shit!" Bad stated. "I got to head back… mine if I…"

"Go ahead, Alley already scanned the photos into a computer."

Bad took the small photo, he stared at it a moment longer before tucking it into his jacket. He grabbed his bat and left the shop. He had a good long time to think about it on the way back to HQ. He got a good look at the devastation, but now understood why.

Child Emperor was up still, surveying the damage and thinking about repairs already to the building.

He noticed Bad walking in, a nervous smile came over him. "I take it we're not getting help for the damage done here huh?" he asked.

"Now not CE," Bad muttered.

He instantly picked up on the tone. "Bad… what's wrong?"

Bad paused. "I ain't sure if you're ready to know this yet either. I am still digesting it all, something's happened, and I completely understand why this occurred today"

"Wait, what?!" Child Emperor demanded. "If you know, tell me right now!"

"Dude, I am still trying to figure this shit out myself! Here!" Bad reached into his jacket and showed him the photo. Child Emperor paused. "A photo of Street and Knuckle with a young girl, what of it?" he asked.

Bad leaned in. "That's Melee,"

Suddenly, his face dropped. The photo slipped out of his fingers. "WHAT!"

"SHHH!" Bad snapped. "Not so loud, don't speak of this! You need to understand the brothers are very sensitive to information, they don't remember her, we bring it up it could drive them mad trying to recall her. NOT ONE WORD!" he warned. Bad then picked the photo off the ground and tucked it back into his pocket.

"But... how could that be her in the photo? We just met them, Melee is their age now, hell she's older… oh…" Child Emperor fell eerily quiet. "Okay," he said with a nod.

"I'm going to help them how I can, but I ain't forcing this on them either. If they ask questions, answer them. If not, don't bring it up unless they do!"

CE nodded in agreement. With that, Bad went inside. He clocked out for the day and decided to go home to Zenko. First thing he wanted to do is give his sister the biggest hug ever…

#

Pac returned home.

Just as he walked through the door, a family meeting was held. His father confessed to how much he has messed up and was apologizing for his lack of judgment. "I didn't mean for this to happen… I was just so angry…" he explained. "When your mother gets upset, I get furious."

The table nodded in agreement. "I would be to," said Max. "I don't blame you the least bit, if it comes down to this, then it comes down to this. We're still with you."

"Given the circumstance, I get it too dad. I mean, if that did that to any of us!" said Alley. Her hand reached for her mother's, she braced it tightly. "I'm sorry it happened to you."

Pac walked. "Well, I hope I could sooth things over for now. Bad has been informed, and he's going to try and do what he can to patch things up, not holding my breath on that. He is also going to keep an eye on them mom, he knows not to press them with anything, but he is going to help them however he can if they ask for it."

She gave a gracious nod as her eyes watered up again. She turned to Garou and wept in his arms. There was little comfort he could offer her, the only thing he could do was envelop her into himself and give her a moment of peace and quiet. When he did, he turned to the family. "I want to be sure the house of evolution isn't in on this. This… is beyond cruel to say the least. I want to know who did this and how!"

"Perhaps I should go see Genus tomorrow." Alley announced. "He had this insight, he may know who is being it and why."

"Do that"

"I'll keep a close eye on the brothers," said Max.

Garou nodded.

"We will stay out of the way until we know what's going on." Said Hunter. "Perhaps we will turn our energy towards the new association Alley is making. We'll start seeing if there are potential heroes in our midst."

"Do that, and avoid the Neo Heroes. If I put us on the hit list again, I want them coming after me, not you!"

Snek laughed. "Please if anything they come at me. I'm the 'easy target' as it where." He said with air quotation marks. "Like they can do much anyways, but I'll run into them, I got to eat tomorrow."

"Be on alert, and again… I'm sorry about this."

"Dad, we will be fine!" insisted Goliath. "Besides, this could be fun!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The next day.

Alley went to see Dr. Genus.

She wanted answers too, he knew something and yet has kept oddly silent about it all, why? She had to understand his logic to this, why wouldn't he warn the family or even try and stop this himself? She stood just outside the doors of the shop, with a deep breath she walked in just as she saw it. Genus was seated as he spoke with Jason. Yet, someone else was in the room. Slowly, she made her way in, and paused. "Zombieman…" she whispered.

The conversation came to a startling halt. Jason turned and glared at Alley, so did Zombieman, there was no mistaking it now, this kid was his clone! "I'll come back later." he said begrudgingly.

"66…"

"Please, not yet!" little Jason begged. A brief smile came over Zombieman as he ruffled the kid's hair playfully.

"I promise to be back. Besides, you and I got a lot to talk about." He left rather quickly, perhaps he didn't want Alley there to hear the conversation.

"I'm sorry for coming unannounced." She explained.

"No, I was excepting this to occur sooner than later. I must admit though, I thought your mother would be here than you."

Alley nodded. "Mom… hasn't quite been herself as of late. I have never seen her like this… before…" Alley began to tear up. "I'm sorry…"

"No. I should be apologizing." Genus paused. "Jason, can you ask our friend in the kitchen to make some fresh tea?"

He nodded and rushed out of the room. Genus approached Alley and eased her down to the closest table. "I have much to speak with you about, but I am uncertain how to go about doing so." He thought it over and sighed. "Well, perhaps for starters. You should know the clone who did this, isn't 106."

"That… a little relief" she whispered.

Jason soon returned with a tray of tea and cups. He placed one before Alley and then Genus. After he left and went to his room. "Little Jason here is figuring out far too soon the circumstances of his birth." He explained. "I understand he is mad at me now, and he's not happy about how he came to be…"

"You shouldn't take all the blame for that, I mean, I helped you do it," she said. She paused though. "What does he know?"

Genus sighed. "Well, when you walked in, I was speaking with 66 at first. Yet as we continued our conversation, Jason appeared out of nowhere listening to everything that was spoken. His eyes came upon 66, and then it appeared he had a moment of discovery. He must have seen the resemblance between each other, yet as he began to ask question. You walked in."

"Oh… I am so sorry!"

"Actually I think it was perfect timing. Jason isn't ready for the answers yet. 66 was trying to find a way to get out of the conversation until he could plan a way of explaining everything. When you appeared, it was the exit he needed." He took a drink of the tea. "Now, as to why you are here…"

Alley nodded. "My mother's brothers… my uncles…"

"Yes, it appears there was Brawler Blood found at a hospital recently. The one who found it as to my knowledge is not connected to 106 who used your creation cell against you… and against me. This was a mere curious clone to see if perhaps he could salvage the blood."

"He was successful by the sounds of it."

"Indeed, even I must admit to be impressed. Consider this Alley, when blood has left the body it is viable for a mere 42 days… how did that of your uncles' last years?" he asked. "I am aware of the device Metal Knight himself created, although it is rather curious he merely made the one and not implement these in all hospitals…"

"So… Brawler Blood is strong to say the least…" Alley whispered as she took a drink of her tea.

"It appears to be… had it be in my possession, I would have done the same for your mother. Except I would have allowed her to be there for every moment of the process…" Genus paused once more. "I have been kept inform of this from one of my living clones. They told me that the clones of your uncles were strange and quite abnormal. When one is cloned it can take a great deal of time for them to wake, months in fact. Even under proper incubation, there is no guarantee that clones will comes out as intended. The first ones never do…" he said. "However, your uncles were different. I was informed upon the moment of creation, they tried to wake themselves. Their brain waves were all over the charts and yet it knew when to rest if it wasn't successful. They woke themselves up using shock therapy."

"Shock therapy?" she asked.

"I have seen it once before but it made clones go mad. There are those whose minds are eager to develop and grow. Such bombardment of information forces the body to react. They soak in every sound, smell and touch, and crave more of it. If they cannot obtain it they will attempt to wake themselves so more information can be gathered. They would shock their own system and yet many don't open their eyes, they rush themselves and are unable to wake, they go mad in their sleep and usually die within three days."

Alley sat there, stunned silent. "How many times…."

"Too many" he said. "But your uncles appeared to have done it differently. Instead of using their senses, they used their memories to jolt themselves awake. Doing that, they don't relay on their senses."

"That's remarkable to say the least…"

"Indeed. Which makes me wonder if perhaps because of that practice, their minds can process everything better? They have only been awake for a few days, and yet I have seen them out in the world already. It's rare for a clone to process so much in little time."

"I didn't think I came from a family of meatheads,"

Genus smiled. "No you did not." He sighed. "I do admit I wished I handled this a lot better than I did. The whole house of evolution is my doing, I should have dismantled it and taught my clones far better!"

"Us too," sighed Alley. "When do you think mom can see them?" she asked.

"That, I cannot say for certain. It will be up to the brothers and how well they process everything. I don't even know if they are aware they even have a sister. When one is cloned memories can be lost but at the same time jogged if done properly. It all depends on the minds of the clone at hand…"

"I thought you would say that…" Alley sighed. "I better get going then, thank you for the tea,"

"Anytime… oh, Miss Brawler…" he called just as Alley was about to leave. She turned to him as he offered a warm smile. "I have considered your offer, may I have a little more time?"

She gave a smile and nod before taking her leave. She would go home and let her father know what she has learned. But she hopes for the sake of her mother, her uncles will remember and want to see her again.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Knuckle was up at the crack of dawn.

He couldn't sleep anymore, his brother though, tossed and turned in his bed. '_He'll be up soon, he ain't sleeping'_ Knuckle thought.

He ventured out of the room wearing only his sleeping pants and went towards the cafeteria of the place. No one, not even the cooks were up just yet, so he went into the prep area and made his own breakfast; a full carton of eggs, a steak and nearly a pound of hash browns. He made more for his brother, knowing he would be up sooner than later. With the meal made, he ventured into the seating area and started to eat. Knuckle kept thinking about the conversation from last night, if his sister was still alive, wouldn't she know they were? If she is alive, why isn't she looking for them? Why hasn't she come to visit, he would have told her everything, Street too. Why wasn't she at the Neo Heroes with them?

Question after question came over his mind, but no answers. He was halfway done his plate when Street ventured in. Knuckle slid him his meal as they ate in silence. He finished yet was deep in thought. "I want to find Amai Mask."

Street merely nodded his head. "Same, he may know something about our sister…" he paused and shook his head. "Why is this so hard?!"

"I don't know man, but we got to be careful, what if someone doesn't want us to know? What if something is being held back from us? I got a feeling this Garou guy is a part of all of this for a strange reason."

"Same, your gut telling you that too?"

"And how," with the meal finished, the brothers wondered outside to stretch their legs. There were strange flying robots that begun to repair the barrier wall, there were more repairing the metal door. They strolled around the building, but saw Ran and Shaw at a distance doing some morning Thai Chi. They took notice of them.

"Morning boys, care to join us?" Ran asked.

"I don't think this is really my sort of thing." Knuckle muttered.

"It looks… weird…" said Street.

"Weird or not, this is a form of martial arts. It can help with breathing, circulation and gathering one's thoughts. For us at least, it's a meditative practice that allows one's problems to flow out." Said Shaw. "That or you are too embarrassed to even try it."

Knuckle sneered at the notion. Street smirked. "Partly, what the hell, tell us what to do."

For a good hour, they learned Thai Chi from Ran and Shaw. Despite how it looked, it did make him feel better. But Knuckle wasn't going to say that out loud anyways. "You two are naturals!" Ran stated. "But hell, what do I know. So, what the plan for today? Going on patrols?"

"Yeah, I am at least, Street wants to do more research on Garou."

"Garou? You are not planning on hunting him are you?" demanded Shaw.

"No, at least, I don't think so. I am trying to get a better understanding of him. There's a reason for this. I mean, you saw him when he faced off with Knuckle, I mean what kind of so called monster holds himself back? Why retract his greatest asset in battle to appear more human? If anything, he would have been able to tear my brother apart with whatever the hell those things were on his body. Why take them out of the fight?" Street questioned. "Also look at the damage he did. If this was for pure destructive purposes, this place would be rubble to say the least and everyone here would be dead." He announced. "I want to know more about him… but I can't keep depending on a computer and files."

There was an odd look between the two, Shaw sighed aloud. "Fine!" he announced begrudgingly. "You owe me a drink at least, Street, get dressed and lets have a drink!" he announced.

"It's six in the morning!"

"Yeah? You mean to tell me you don't drink tea?"

"Oh… that kind of a drink, okay… yeah, I'll be right back!" Street rushed back into HQ. Knuckle smirked.

"Holding out on us huh old man?"

"Excuse me!" Shaw demanded.

"You're what? 34? To me, that's old,"

The look of shock quickly vanished from Shaw's face, he laughed it off yet gave Knuckle a strong punch to the arm. "OW! Damn it, that hurt!"

"Don't call me old," he warned. Street returned, dressed for the day. "Okay, let's go. Knuckle, if you are going on patrol, at least take someone with you."

"Yeah… I'll do that."

#

Knuckle was quick to dress for the day, he was about to head out solo, when he heard. "YO! WAIT UP!"

He turned and saw Metal Bat, running to catch up with him. "Hey… can I tag?" he asked.

"Free country, sure."

Bad smirked as he walked along side him, Knuckle though kept catching this weird look on his face. One of confusion, shock and in a sense, lost. "You're distracted." Knuckle muttered. "What does a guy like you have to be concerned about?"

Metal Bat laughed. "Oh, right, well. I was just thinking of my little sis back home."

Knuckle froze. So did Bad as he appeared to go pale. "Oh, sorry I didn't mean…"

"You have a sister?" he asked gently. "What's she like?"

Bad took a deep breath and explained to him Zenko. She's a sweet young girl, who is amazing at piano. Her smile could light up a room, as she gives him a reason to fight every single day. "It hasn't been easy. Our parents died when we were young. I don't even remember how it happened, but, I've been raising her alone ever since."

"I… think I had one… no… I did have one." Knuckle announced. Bad's eyes widened in shock. "But, I can't remember much about her. My brother realized it to be true as well, but, we don't know if she's alive."

Bad appeared to be biting his tongue. Knuckle picked up on it right away. "Okay, spill it. What's with you?"

"It's just… uh…." Bad stammered. Yet he fell short on saying anything coherent.

Knuckle sighed aloud. "You know… I think I am going to go home for a bit…"

"Home?" Bad asked.

"Yeah… home… I'm going to go to City B for a while… see if something jogs my memory. You don't have to follow me, I won't be doing anything drastic to say the least. I just… I just want to clear my head."

Bad nodded and requested he remember his cell phone. With that, Knuckle began the long walk to City B. The fresh air may do him some good…


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Street sat there and listened as Shaw explained thing to him about Garou. Cup after cup of green tea flowed as he explained the prodigy of Fists of Flowing Water. He was taken in by Master Bang, Class S hero who saw great potential in him. Until Garou's ambitions began to take over his state of mind. "Natural talent to say the least, he knew it too that he was good at what he does. Why he wasted it on that is beyond me."

"Shaw… I know a little about Garou, but I want to know is how did he take out such elite heroes? The S Class they were called, how could one person do such a thing?"

Another pot of tea was called for the table, Shaw paused as he thought everything over. "He turned into a monster."

He froze to the news. "He… you mean what he is now?"

"Oh no, not in the least bit. What happened was, he had somehow built this monster shell around his body. It made him powerful to say the least, the strongest I think any of the S Class have ever dealt with. He wanted to unite the world in hatred against him. I can assume in a sense, he would bring world peace in doing so"

Street froze to the statement. "He wanted to bring peace to the world…" then he thought it over. "It makes sense… damn, his plan was brilliant!" he announced.

This caught Shaw off guard. "What do you mean it was brilliant?"

"Chronologically speaking, his first assault came on to three heroes… but then the whole underground criminal organization. That was the first move of his plan, after all the Heroes Association was going to ask them for help right? They were laughed at. Now consider this. You have someone like Garou, who claims he will destroy the world and you ask these thugs for help again, would they be more inclined to do so if they knew the man that knocked them stupid was the one they are after?" he asked.

Shaw froze.

"Exactly! They would have helped! That was step one. Step two, go after low rank heroes, ones who are not much of a threat. It would demonstrate his ruthlessness and a sense of heartlessness to whom he attack. I read up on Muman Rider, he wasn't the least bit threatening and yet got his ass handed to him. Heroes would take exception to that, would they not?"

"I suppose so…"

"Third go after the big fish. Have these guys know despite how elite they are, they are not as strong on their own against a threat like him by the sounds of it. They have to unite and combine their strengths to defeat him. Uniting people in battle, no matter their talent, ability or background. Unite to fight him… what a plan…"

Shaw was oddly silent. "You merely read that and from what little I have given you… you figured out his mindset?!"

"More or less." Street confessed. "But now, the question, how did he become that…" he asked.

"Well, from what I read in a report and from what Garou has told those close to him. He battled a monster during his hero hunting days called Lord Orochi, The King of the monsters. He was impaled by the horn of this demonic beast, a part of it fragmented into his body." Shaw explained as he poured a new cup of tea. "Garou has phenomenal healing ability, superhuman I would say. He healed over it, yet over time, the horn began to break down and leech into his body. The DNA of it, turned him from the inside out. Such a drastic change in him, the horn even forged a monster organ in his body. He began to crave the meat of the beasts, forcing the transformation along. Like his genius combatant skills, his body developed on when he ate. Take the power that would be of use, and add it to his own. Wings, gills, and the demonic dragons you see on his flesh were all because he ate something with those properties."

Street was in aw of the information. "Remarkable… no one tried to cure him?"

"Nothing could be done. The horn was inches from his heart and already spread into it. There was little that could have been done."

He paused at the information all the while he took another cup of tea to process it all. "The transformation stopped, hasn't it?"

"From what it appears yes. But, what you see, Garou is not suppose to appear that way."

"What do you mean?"

Shaw paused from his tea. "I've seen it once, where he 'erupted' to say the least. He stands taller than most buildings, his body becomes complete monster, his hair turns to horns as the creatures of his body uncoil and become massive beasts themselves. All that are bound to him are their own level dragon threat monsters. He nearly looks like Lord Orochi in appearance, yet far more controlling over his form."

"Remarkable…" Street whispered. "He hasn't unleashed this power upon any city correct?" he asked.

"No, the only time I saw that occur was when the monster King Lord Orochi returned. Garou grew himself to his true form to do battle against him." Shaw explained.

Street shook his head to it all. "And yet, Accel is out to make him the enemy. I am still gathering information on him, and I hope to have a better understanding soon enough. But with what happened recently, I know his attack on the Neo Heroes wasn't out of boredom or he was trying to threaten the organization. Someone within has upset him to the point of attacking. As I said before, if he were truly out to destroy the Neo Heroes, he would have done it all in one single strike. He doesn't sound like the kind that would do some damage and retreat when he has the upper hand."

"You at least have a far more open mind that most," muttered Shaw.

"I wish to speak with him, one on one…"

"Whoa, you can't do that just out of the blue!"

"Why the hell not? He appears to be reasonable enough. Besides, he appeared he wanted to speak with us more than fight. Knuckle just pushed the notion along for him to battle more than anything."

Shaw fell silent. "I would still be careful around someone like Garou, sometimes people think they know what he's thinking, when he isn't even considering the notion." Shaw warned.

"I'll take that into consideration." Street took a sip of his drink before he began to think things over once more. "I need to speak with someone named Amai Mask." He said.

This confused Shaw. "Amai? Whatever for?"

"He may know what happened to my sister. But first…" Street stood up. "I'm going home."

#

Knuckle arrived.

He paused as he stared down the street that was once more full of people as they went about their lives. He drifted down as he peered at the buildings, knowing which ones were new ones and the old ones that managed to survive. He paused though as he arrived to where he use to live with this brother, father and sister. They shared a small apartment of all things, barely enough room for the four of them, yet they somehow managed. However, the building was gone. It was destroyed down to the foundation, all that remained was an empty lot. "There was nothing for her to go home to." He muttered.

"Knuckle?"

He paused and turned to see his brother. "You came back too huh?"

"Yeah… looks like sis had nothing to go home to by the looks of it."

Street nodded. "So… where could she have gone? How did she survive? Did she survive?" he asked.

"You're the smart one, you answer me" Knuckle laughed. His eyes then drifted down towards the earth, there were strange markings on the ground still, dried monster blood by the looks of it. "Huh, everything looks relatively new, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I read up on this giant of a monster was accidently bashed into the city upon its defeat, took out a good chunk to say the least."

Knuckle sighed to it all. "There has to be more, bro. I feel like… I don't even know man…"

"Yeah, how about we just go back and sleep on it. I got a little more info on Garou from Shaw, but I got to read more about this…" Street shook his head. "I can only imagine what dad would have done if he were here during that phase of the guy's life…"

"Invite him to dinner!" the brothers said at the same time. "Shit, we really are twins."

"More or less."

#

They managed to stop a few monster threats on their way back to the Neo Heroes. They weren't that difficult to defeat either. A single punch or two were enough to break the necks or even a smash against the pavement quelled the beasts rather well. People would stop and stare as the brothers continued along without soaking in the praise of the people.

"Since when do people even give a damn that we do this? I mean, we do it all the time, don't we?" asked Knuckle.

"Meh, I don't really know anymore." Said Street.

By the time they returned, Accel was smiling from ear to ear at them. "You two are all over the news!" he proclaimed. "Way to spread the word of the Neo Heroes through your actions!"

"Huh? Oh, that…" muttered Knuckle. "They were just in the way so we dealt with them. Anyway, I got to get something to eat, I haven't had anything since breakfast… shit it's four already!"

"Time flies huh?" laughed Accel. "Keep up the great work you two!" With that he went out on patrol. Street and Knuckle decided to get something to eat, Street would then go to the library after. Knuckle ventured around to see what the other heroes were doing.

He paused at one of the sparring rooms. There was a kid, giving his all to the hero Darkshine. Despite his efforts, Darkshine was standing strong and didn't even move all that much. There was some wavering, yet Knuckle realized the kid was holding back. When the sparring stopped, Darkshine laughed. "Nice job!" he said. "I felt those!"

"You would be in the wall…" Knuckle announced.

The two froze, the kid stared at Knuckle with wide eyes. "Whoa… you're huge!"

"I get that a lot, the name is Knuckle, you?"

"Drax!"

"Drax, ah I heard of you. Now… tell me, why are you going easy on him?"

The kid froze as he stared at Darkshine who merely laughed it off. "Easy on me? What makes you say that!" he protested.

"I could tell by the kid's stance, he was holding back. You would be against the wall and hurt to say the least."

"Nonsense! The kid has a long way to go before he can topple this!" Darkshine announced as he struck a pose.

Knuckle shook his head. "Show him."

"But…"

"Come on kid, his reputation is now on the line, prove him wrong to me!" Dark laughed.

There was a look of reluctance in the kid, but Darkshine egged him on. "Just because your daddy's a snake, doesn't make you a weak little noodle boy!"

SMASH!

Darkshine hit the wall, and was a little stuck!

"Told you."

Dark slowly peeled himself out, just as people stopped and stared at the event. Drax looked away rather embarrassed to his actions, Knuckle however smirked. "There are times where you need to hold back, but there are times where you have to show your power kid. Don't let people assume you got something to prove,"

Knuckle walked away shortly after, yet the look of shock in the halls was rather amusing.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18.

The night came once more, after his research done for the day, Street went off to bed and tried to figure everything out. Garou kept coming into his mind, there was something about him that he hasn't quite figured out just yet. As his mind drifted off to sleep, he began to think of his father once more, and the sister whose name has yet to be recalled…

#

It would be the day after the ass kicking. Street's father would be out on patrol in search of the teenager whose power was something he has never felt before. He would hear a commotion going on in an alleyway, then the smell of blood would waft over his nose. Shortly after, the kid would appear, wrapping up his bloodied hand, he turned and nearly walk right into him. "Back for more!" Garou demanded as he stood at the ready.

"Nah, not tonight. I was looking for you though… you hungry?"

"Huh?"

"You hungry? You haven't eaten in a while have you? Come on, I just wanna talk, and get something to eat."

Garou blew him off. "Tch, like I am going to trust you. Heroes like you wait to be called in to strike! I ain't falling for it!"

Then, his stomach growled. It had been a while since he ate anything. All the fighting has made him hungry. Even Brawler's stomach rumbled. "Ah see, we're both hungry! Come, we have plenty!" In a brash move, he wrapped his arm around Garou's shoulder and walked him down the street. "I don't live too far, my daughter is a great cook!"

"Let go of me!" Garou hissed.

Yet there was a reason for his actions. With his arm around the human monster, no one really saw it was indeed Garou walking down the street. His father's arm was too large to make out who was under it. By the time they reached the apartment, Garou wrenched himself out of the brace. He would glare at him for his brash move, and yet the human monster held back on striking.

When he got home, Father paused. "Now, this is a no fighting area, not even my boys are allowed to rough house inside. Only rule I ask you abide by if you want to eat."

He would sneer at the notion, yet as his stomach roared in hunger, he reluctantly agreed. With that, Garou was taken into the Brawler's lair. Street would be setting the table yet freeze at the sight of the teen that beat him up just the night before. Garou would glare at him, Street glare back with a look of distrust. However, his father would slap Garou's back. "Come on, we ain't gonna bite ya!" he laughed. "DAUGHTER, HOW IS DINNER COMING!"

"ALMOST DONE, KEEP YOUR SHIRT ON DAD!" she snapped back.

"Ah very good, sit, want something to drink?"

"Coke." Garou muttered. Street would roll his eyes as he went to the fridge, yet in the kitchen he would see his sister hard at work. Tonight was special, she got paid and was given a bonus for a recent take down of a bounty. She was able to afford good meat tonight for father's favorite dish. Udon noodles with slivered beef and cabbage in a light brown sauce. It wasn't much, however he always looked forward to such a meal. It's what he and mother survived off of when things were tough. The meal then became a treat, even more so when meat got too expensive.

But tonight there was plenty.

Street returned with the drink as he placed it aggressively before Garou. Knuckle would appear yet hung back to say the least. Neither of the brothers trusted the notion that the human monster would abide by the no fighting rule. "So, What did you do to your hand?" father would ask.

Garou stared at it. "None of your concern." He muttered and took his drink.

"Huh? If I didn't know any better, I would say you were stabbed with a small sword, yes, a small sword if I am not mistaken… judging by the scuffs on your hands, you deflected projectiles from something metal."

There was a surprise look on Garou as his father appeared to have broken down his most recent fight. "Let's see, those weapons, Spring Mustachio and Golden Ball like to hang out together, especially near that bar you wondered out from the back of it. If anything should one be pulled into battle the other would come running. You appeared to have succeeded in defeating them both, not bad, the two got skill."

"Tch" Garou muttered. "I thought you brought me here to eat, not chit chat."

His father smiled just as the meal was finished being prepared. She came into the room with a small cart and four massive bowls. She placed down a bowl for everyone and one for Garou. He was stunned to the size of it. Father smirked. "You better eat every bit of it, this is my favorite dinner, and I won't tolerate anyone turning their nose up at it!"

She would sit at the end with a small bowl for herself. "Damn it girl!" Knuckle scolded. "You don't work for him anymore, quite it with this dinky portion of food!"

"Shut up, I'll eat what I want to eat!" she snapped back.

Street then turned and noticed Garou was already halfway done his meal, everything was shoveled into his mouth without hesitation until the bowl was empty. He paused as he placed his chopsticks down. "Another!" father called.

She nodded and got more. Taking the empty bowl away, she returned with more for their guest. He was stunned to say the least. "I know that look, you ain't satisfied with one serving. We got plenty," he insisted.

He ate as good as a Brawler did. Three bowls and he was satisfied. Father had two himself as did Street and Knuckle. When finished, Street cleared the dishes as father spoke with the human monster. "I don't quite know what your aim is at, but let me say this, should you realize it's not what you are truly after, come back and see us. We won't turn you away, we won't turn you in either. We ain't registered heroes either… well one of us is."

"What the hell are you talking about you fat, old man?" Garou snapped. "I know what I want, and I can taste it too. I don't need your help!"

Father would back off. "Fine, but the offer is on the table should you change your mind."

"Is that it?" Garou demanded. "Can I leave now?"

Father nodded. "Before you go…" he got up and left the room for a moment. Only to return with a small bag. Inside was medical supplies, a towel, bottles of water and a few energy bars. "I ain't much, but it will hopefully do you good." He said and offered it to the human monster.

Garou sneered at it as he turned away, yet he snatched the offering out of the hands of Father. He took his leave yet wouldn't go through the front door, he took the fire exit and vanished into the night. Street returned as he shook his head. "The guy is a younger than us, what's his deal?" he asked.

However, there was a look on father's face. One he didn't like again, he had an idea. "Dad…" asked Knuckle nervously.

His smile only grew as he took a seat once more and leaned back in his chair. "The boy needs to be taken down a few pegs, but we ain't the ones to do it. But when that happens, I think it will become clear as to what he need in his life… part of it would be a good woman. A strong one at that… like your sister."

Street froze. "No… you wouldn't!" he protested.

"Oh yes, I think he would be perfect for her. You know how I am picky about any boy that makes a move on her. This one… this one is different. I think they would balance each other out quite nice."

"Good thing she's in the shower, she would kill you if you said that to her!" said Knuckle.

Father's grin only grew. "Give it time, let's see how this plays out…"

#

He would wake up once more in a cold sweat. Street slowly sat up and out of bed as his mind raced. "Is this trying to tell me something?" he wondered. "Was this… a clue or a sign about our sister?" He turned to his left and saw Knuckle was out like a light. He was at least sleeping well, Street wasn't. It was 4am, he would be getting up soon anyways. However he lay back down and tried to figure out the dream, what was it trying to say to him?

For certain there was one thing he has to do. He has to find and speak with Amai Mask!

#

He got straight to searching the next morning. He learned all he could of Amai Mask and supposedly an apprentice he had for a short while named Shuriken Star. There, Street knew there was something about her. However, he has to hear it from the superstar himself.

After breakfast they went to City W where he was filming for his latest movie. There was a massive crowd to say the least, yet the brothers were able to get through to the front. Knuckle approached a security guard and made small talk with him, yet as he did, he paused at the sight of 'Sweet Mask' himself. He was just going into his trailer when he stopped and waved at the fans. Yet in doing so, the smile suddenly vanished from his face. His eyes locked on to the brothers, Street could have sworn that Amai appeared a little pale. He reached for a walkie talkie that connected to the bouncers. The one Knuckle was talking to paused. "He wants to speak with you two." He said. "Go ahead."

"Strange… just like that huh?" Street muttered. The brothers approached the trailer the door left open yet out of courtesy they knocked.

"Enter."

The brothers were barely able to fit through the door, yet the trailer was a lot more spacious inside than it appeared. Amai stared at them, frozen stiff to the sight of the brothers. "Street… Knuckle…" he said.

"Oh, he does remember us? I certainly remember him for some reason… and I promised myself this…" Knuckle said with a smirk.

POW!

Without warning, Knuckle clocked Amai right in the face! He stumbled back a little his nose nearly broken but instantly healed. "I… do believe I deserved that…" the superstar stated as he looked back to the brothers.

BAM

Street needed his shot too!

Amai healed quickly once more. He glared at the two yet held his tongue for the moment. "Am… I safe to assume that will be all the surprises you have in store for me?" he asked with a sneer on his lip.

"We got that out of our system." Said Knuckle, but then turned to Amai. "We got questions… about our sister… we… can't remember her."

Amai froze to the news. "So it would seem. I thought you two died in a monster attack."

The brothers froze. "Died?" they asked. "How could we if we're here?"

"That's the question. I can assure you, Melee was with me all day when the attack happened. I only learned about what happened afterwards when she said that her family was killed. And yet, here you stand before me."

"Melee… her name was Melee… THAT'S WHY THE NAME WAS FAMILIAR!" Knuckle announced with glee. "Melee, she was named Melee!"

Street however wasn't celebrating just yet. "Is… she still alive?" he asked.

Amai sighed and nodded. "Yes, she is, and has a family and… well… I suppose you can call him a man, devoted to her." He paused. "Strange, if she knew you were alive, why hasn't she sought you out yet?"

"That's what I want to know… what we want to know," said Knuckle. "Amai, if what you say is true, we died in a monster attack, then how are we here now? What happened that brought us to this point? What could have happened?"

"I cannot say for certain, but know this. Melee would be thrill to know you are alive, perhaps I should call her myself and see…"

"You know where she lives?" asked Street with utter amazement.

"Indeed,"

"Then tell us!" demanded Knuckle. "We want to see her, we want to see our sister!"

"Let me make a call first, and then we can arrange something. Just a moment…" yet as Amai made the call, the Neo Heroes began to call them. There's an incident in City W that they must go and investigate. Apparently something is attacking the Neo Hero base in the area, the door ripped off the wall.

"Duty calls. We will be back!" vowed Knuckle.

Amai nodded, the brothers were quick to leave, just as he got through to Melee…


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Luna thought it was strange to be taken back to the park so soon after a recent play date. She couldn't quite understand why, but also knew it was stranger still for her brother Hunter to be doing it. "Why isn't mommy or Snek taking us?" she asked.

"Mom… is tired. Snek has gone out hunting, he could be very full by the time he comes back. I wasn't doing anything so I am taking you today!" Hunter stated. "Why, am I not fun or something?"

"Oh no, you're plenty fun Hunter. It's just weird since mommy hasn't smiled since…" said Eclipsa but paused.

"Yeah, I know."

They didn't speak of it anymore. However Luna's eyes lit up when she saw Misty, Jason and Gene. "YOU'RE HERE!" she cheered aloud. Luna hugs each of her friends, yet found Jason oddly distant. "Are you okay?" she asked of him.

"Yeah… yeah I'm okay." He would say, but his eyes said differently. They were like her mommy's eyes yesterday. Something was bothering him but refused to speak of it.

His eyes did light up when he saw Eclipsa. "Wanna go on the swings?" he asked of her.

"Sure!"

The two ran off. Misty rolled her eyes. "Jason has been weird lately, he's asking daddy odd questions. Where did I come from? Who am I? What did I do? Stuff like that."

"Mommy has been upset ever since she spoke with your daddy on something." Said Luna.

"It bothered her a lot." Chimed Akira.

"Well then, daddy better apologize!" Misty stood up and out of the sandbox as she went and confronted her father. Luna however could pick up something was wrong at home. Everyone appeared nervous, scared even today. It was as if something was going to happen and everyone would be affected.

She as right.

As Misty spoke with her father, strange men began to approach them. All wearing the same uniforms! "Look what's here, the son of Garou!"

Luna froze as her brother stood up off the bench. Misty's father appeared worried as Hunter waved him off. He rushed to the sandpit. "Let's go, Luna, Akira, Gene with me!" he whispered.

"But Hunter…"

"It's best we not interfere. Come, quickly!"

Luna turned to Hunter who smiled gave a nod. With that she got up as Misty's father got Jason and Eclipsa off the swings. He rushed them all to the car, buckled them up and drove off. "Hunter… what about Hunter?!" asked Eclipsa.

"Hunter will be okay, he was worried about you. Those are Neo heroes, they aren't very friendly to your family Eclipsa. For now, I am going to take you back home with me. We'll get ice cream and treats until Hunter comes back. Okay?" he asked.

Eclipsa however froze. She began to cry. "Hunter's in trouble!" she wept.

It hit Luna then and there. She was right. Hunter was in trouble! She wept as well. "We didn't stay to help him!"

They cried aloud, until Luna felt someone take hold of her hand. She opened her eyes as her brother Akira smiled. "He's okay." He said with a confident grin. "Hunter is really strong, and we would get in the way. Misty's dad wouldn't have left him if he didn't think he could handle himself."

Her tears stopped, as did Eclipsa's. The car came to a stop as well. They arrived at the shop. "Come, let's go have treats!"

#

They played, ate and sang together, and yet as more time passed, Luna realized Hunter was late. "He should have been back by now…" she said.

"I will call and see what this is about." Misty's father left the room.

It was then Jason spoke. "What he said to your mom… made her cry, didn't it?" he asked.

"Yes… do you know what he said?" asked Akira.

He shook his head. "I didn't, but I heard a name. Accel. He said he did something, he's a Neo Hero."

Luna pouted. "He made my mommy cry, in our house, you do that, you apologize!" she stated. "Where does Accel live?"

"Not too far I think, he is a Neo Hero right?" said Jason. "He is suppose to be Neo Hero facility here today…"

Luna stood up as she headed for the door. "Luna!" protested Eclipsa. "We're coming too!" The six managed to slip out. Jason's father was on the phone in the other room as the Gorilla cook was in the basement prepping for tomorrow.

#

Luna, Eclipsa, Akira, Misty, Gene and Jason found the building. "We should knock." Explained Jason.

Luna however found a voice box. "I need a boost." She said. Akira helped her up on to his shoulders, she was able to reach and pushed a button.

"Can I help you?" a voice asked.

She held down the button. "Mr. Accel needs to apologize to my mommy, he had her cry!" Luna announced. She released the button and waited for a reply.

"Little girl, this isn't a toy!"

"I KNOW!" she protested. "Mr. Accel made my mommy cry, he HAS to apologize to her!"

There was no response after that. Luna got off her brother's shoulders. She stared at the wall with the thick metal door. "Now what?" asked Jason.

"We knock!" Luna said, but there was a look in her eye.

"Luna… remember what daddy said!" protested Eclipsa.

But her mind was made up. With a fist, Luna struck the door once. It dented in. A second knock, it began to rip out the wall. The last one, knocked it off its hinges!

Within the complex, people froze at the pint size little girl who knocked a metal door out of the wall. "Is Mr. Accel here?" she called. "He has to apologize to my mommy now!"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Street and Knuckle saw the commotion. People have gathered in great numbers to peer at the spectacle of it all. There was police gathered around the Neo Heroes base, and six children standing there. Street managed to get through and explain he was a Neo Hero, they allowed him in as he confronted the children. Yet, within the walls, there were heroes dressed and ready for battle!

"What the hell are you thinking!" he demanded of the heroes. "They're kids!"

"She knocked that metal door out of the wall!" one protested as they pointed to the little girl with spiked white hair. Street saw the damaged door and realized they were right. The strikes against the door were far too low for someone tall to hit, not to mention the size of the dents were that of a child's fist.

"So you were going to fight children?" he demanded.

"Uh… well…"

"Stand down, I'll handle this!" Street announced, just as Knuckle made his way through the crowd. But so did another man.

"They are my children!" he protested.

"Officer! Let him pass!" Knuckle called.

The man rushed forward, he held three of them closely. "Are you okay? Why on earth did you leave!"

"Luna needed to know where to go to find Accel, I showed her," explained Jason.

Street took a knee. "Why did you come all the way here?" he asked the little girl with white hair.

Her arms crossed. "Mr. Accel made mommy cry, when you make mommy cry, daddy gets upset! I don't like it when mommy is sad and daddy is angry. He has to apologize!"

Street smirked. The kid has spunk. "He's not here kiddo, if he was, he already left, would I be able to apologize on his behalf to your mommy?" he asked.

Luna thought it over. "Maybe!" she announced.

"Perhaps we ought to leave before drawing more attention to ourselves."

"True," said Knuckle just as his stomach roared. "Hungry already, you know I heard there was a wicked takoyaki shop near by,"

"Oh? I own that store just down the street, please, come have a meal on me. As an apology for all this."

"Free grub sounds good to me." Said Knuckle.

As the crowds cleared out, Street kept peering down at the kids. They looked familiar. "So, these three aren't yours?" he asked as he pointed to the two girls with spiked hair and the one boy with flat white hair.

"Oh goodness no. They are good friends of ours. I'm Genus by the way."

"Street and Knuckle!" the brothers announced.

Genus suddenly became quite pale. "Huh, what is with people going pale after hearing our names!" laughed Knuckle.

The man named Genus forced a laugh. They made it to the shop where a gorilla of all things made the food! "Whoa… really? Your chief is a gorilla?!"

"A very, very talented one."

The brothers just sat down when the door opened once more. The sound of a rather breathless person filled the room. Both of them turned to see a monster like teenager enter the store. "HUNTER!" the three rushed down and embraced him full heartedly. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"Naw, I had to fly a few to the hospital. Nothing serious." Hunter then saw Street and Knuckle. There was a look of resentment on his face. "Huh… didn't think neo Heroes ate here too."

Street smirked. "Free country isn't it?"

Hunter growled, but eased himself off. "Sorry… in a mood." He muttered.

"No apology needed. Wanna sit with us, have something to eat?" asked Knuckle.

"I don't really eat normal food anymore. Thanks though, I better get my siblings home."

"But Hunter, he was going to apologize to mommy!" protested Luna. "He said he would, Mr. Accel wouldn't!"

"Wait… what do you mean by that?!" Hunter demanded.

"It's… a long story, it was my fault, I was taking a call, and they snuck out on my watch. They went to the Neo Heroes base here in the city to see Accel… a little damage was done…"

"Damage?" Hunter turned to his siblings.

"Luna knocked." Muttered Akira.

Street and Knuckle were snickering. "They actually had the whole Neo Heroes army that was inside ready to fight them. Who fights children!?" Laughed Knuckle.

Hunter wasn't laughing; he stared at Knuckle and said in a cold tone. "They would have struck them down, if they knew they were by siblings."

Knuckle quickly stopped his laughter. The look of anger in the young man's face said it all, he wasn't joking. "Wait… so if they knew they were Garou's children… they would have attacked?" Knuckle asked.

"Yeah, survival of the cowards to say the least. We terrify them. So, naturally, they want to hunt us down. My siblings… won't be. I make sure of that." he turned to the three. "Let's go home, mom can get her apology another time."

As the walked out, Knuckle stood, but Street pulled him back down into his chair. "The kid went through enough. Leave him be."

They were served a massive plate of food. The brothers dug in and found every delicious. "How on earth can these all taste the same? Normally with octopus, the flavor always varies!"

"That's a secret…" Genus said with a grin. "I… wish to speak to you two about something. Children, can you go to your rooms for a while please?"

Jason nodded but Gene and Misty protested. "We weren't bad! Oh… right… we snuck out… Okay." And left without incident.

As their doors close, Genus turned to the brothers. "Street Brawler, Knuckle Brawler… Melee Brawler…" he said flat out.

They froze.

"How did you know?!"

"I have known her for a while, which is why at this moment you have yet to meet her again."

The brother's paused. "How can you say that?" asked Knuckle.

He slowly stood up. "The process various from test to test, person to person… clone to clone. I have been following your progress for some time and must admit, you have adapted far beyond others before you…"

"What the hell are you trying to say!" demanded Street.

"You know your are out of place in this world, nothing makes sense, it isn't as it should be nor are things the way they were before. People you have met before have aged since you woke. Let me assure you now, you were not in a coma. Gentlemen. You have been cloned from blood found in a hospital that maintained its vitality for many years." He explained. "You are correct in feeling out of place, as if you had been wrenched from another time and brought into this moment."

They were silent, however Knuckle was the first to snicker out. "HA! Good one! Had me going for a moment there. Really? Clones? Is this so we would tip you after for the food?"

Genus wasn't laughing. "Very well, I did try, but it's good to see it hasn't driven you mad. Please, take your fill gentlemen, and I do apologize again for today."

"Wait" protested Street. "Melee Brawler really is our sister's name. So, you know where she is, don't you?"

"No," he said. "But I have spoken with her and given her advice to the current situation. But it appears you are able to handle this information now. I promise you, next time I see her, I will state it is safe for her to visit you."

With the Genus left them to eat. Street suddenly lost his appetite as the thought over what was said. "Clones…" he muttered.

Knuckle paused from the meal, he too was thinking it over as well. "Would that explain why it took so long for us to remember her? Why we're still the same age despite being told that we were in a coma for years?"

"It's the only thing that does make sense… question is… who did this to us? To Melee? If she knew, she would have been here to see us wake up… they did this without her knowing."

The food no longer appealed to them. Knuckle stood up and headed for the door. "Let's go back and see Amai, he said he knows where she is, let's go see sis!" he announced.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Amai just finished the call. Melee was informed first hand by him, and she is aware now that her brothers are asking for her. Wondering where she is. It broke his heart to hear her cry, but he insisted she come and see them with her own two eyes. "I'll try and keep them here with me for as long as I can, please, Melee, come see your brothers" he insisted.

She took a deep breath but agreed to the notion. With that Amai hung up and was about to go back out onto the set. As he made his way, he heard. "AMAI!" the Brawlers returned and were running right for him. "AMAI!" shouted Street until he stood before him. "Melee, our sister… where does she live?" he asked.

"I wouldn't be concerned about that… besides." He looked beyond them and into the sky, there was a glow object fast approaching them. "She's coming to you. Follow me." He brought the brothers on to the set, production actually finished up for the day so there was but a call set crew cleaning things up. "Wait here."

He left, and yet as he did, the brothers appeared nervous.

#

Melee's feet just touch the ground. Amai was there to greet her as she began to shake like a leaf. "Are you okay?" he asked of her.

She shook her head. "How… how can I be okay?" she questioned. "I buried my brothers… years ago… and now… they are going to be standing before me?" she asked as the tears welded up in her eyes. She shook her head at the thought of it all. Her body trembled as she tried to make sense of it. "What… do I say, how do I say it? Are they going to understand what has happened to me? What I became?" she asked.

"They are far more opened minded than I expected them to be." Amai said offhandedly. "Granted, I could have done without the punch to the face by both brothers…"

She paused. "They… punched you?"

"In the face mind you" he emphasized that point.

It brought a smile to hers, even a giggle escaped from her. "They did say that, if they ever saw you… they would punch you in that 'sweet mug' of yours." She said.

"In that case there is no doubt, they are your brothers," he muttered. "Melee, go inside and speak with them."

With a deep breath, she went in. Her legs felt like jelly, she wanted to throw up for the first time in ages. But her main worry was, would they know who she is with how she looks?

#

Street and Knuckle were getting anxious. "Did she have second thoughts?" asked Knuckle.

"I don't know, I just don't know." Street muttered.

Amai returned, he paused as he kept peering towards a corner of the room. "You've come this far, come a little farther." He insisted.

The brothers stood tall as a young woman slowly walked towards them. She… didn't look like Melee. There was no sparkle to her eyes, since they were white. Her arms covered in scales like… a monster. Yet just by the way she walked into the room, Street could tell she was just as scared as they were. "That's some hero look you are going for…" he said. Stepping a little closer, Street took in her feature. "Melee?" he asked.

She was about to speak, yet Amai cut her off. "Of course, one must stand out in this day and age as a hero. Sometimes taking the skin as a prize and forging it into something useful, like armor…" he explained.

Amai stepping it startled him a little. Why is he doing this, Melee was always capable of speaking for herself!

Knuckle however appeared rather distrusting of this woman. "Then why are her eyes white? They were brown before."

"Contacts" lied Amai.

"What are you doing!" She whispered angrily.

"Gentlemen, I can assure you here and now, the young woman before you is indeed your sister Melee Brawler. She went by the hero name of Shuriken Star before taking her leave to become a full time hero. She was the best personal assistant I ever had, no one has held a candle to her since."

They appeared reluctant to believe him. "I ain't convinced it is Melee. I mean, the last time we saw her, she was fourteen years old…" said Knuckle.

Melee began to tear up, but then, she quickly stopped herself. "You accidently pulled a prank on Dad a day before his birthday. When in fact we were going to have Amai over, he needed to use our shower and you wanted to prank him. You put butter rum lifesaver candies in the showerhead. Despite Sweet Mask finding another means of bathing, you didn't take out the lifesavers. Dad was sticky for the whole day because of it."

They froze. Street remembered that prank all too well. Amai Mask was having his bathroom renovated and invited himself over to use the shower before his big interview tour that day. The brothers wanted to get back at him for the anguish he caused to Melee, that and embarrass him. Knuckle began to laugh when all of a sudden, he grabbed hold and pulled Melee into his arms. "Sis…" he whispered and wept.

She began to cry too, Street came from behind as they encased her in their arms. As the brothers pulled away, Street caught Amai smiled to the reunion. He must have known how much her family met to her. "Now that this is done, please tell me I won't be punched in the face anymore?" he asked.

"Depends…" warned Knuckle. "For now, let us enjoy the moment…" they pulled away and smiled down at her. "So, I hear you have a family now huh?"

Melee went a little pale. "Yes… yes I do…"

"Can we meet them?" asked Street.

She was reluctant to agree, but she nodded. "Yes, how about dinner tomorrow night?"

"I have just the place too if you wish Melee. Bring everyone along!"

She froze but glared at Amai oddly, yet her brothers insisted on it. "Yeah, bring everyone! I want to meet the whole gang!" insisted Knuckle.

Melee sighed but gave in to the notion. "We will have dinner at my house, I just ask that any of the Neo Hero equipment you have is left behind." She said.

It was a strange request, yet Street nodded. "Sure, no problem. So… where do you live?"

"I can arrange for someone to pick you up if you wish it, it's the very least I can do for you," said Amai.

"Yeah, sure. Have the car get us at the Neo Heroes HQ, it's where we are staying. Say… four o'clock?" asked Knuckle.

She nodded in agreement as did Amai. "We better head back and explain what happened here to Accel. Who knew that an eight year old could bust down a metal door?" said Street.

Melee froze to the news. Amai couldn't help but laugh.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Wait… you SAW this, and yet did NOTHING about it?"

It was strange. The moment the brothers returned to HQ and explain what happened in City W, Accel was on the offensive to say the least. "Gentlemen, we are here to stop monsters… Monsters like that should not be walking the streets!"

"She was 8!" yelled Knuckle. "What the hell is your problem? She didn't kill anyone, I doubt she meant to take the door off its hinges!"

"She was a daughter of the monster Garou! You see this, the family is striking against us, and they know we are going to hunt them. They are running scared! So, they are doing small attacks, gauge how we are going to react and what we will do. Of course they would send a child to do this, no one fights children!" he announced.

"She did it because she wanted you to apologize to her mother who you apparently upset!" said Street. "What the hell did you do to upset her mother?"

Accel froze; he bit his lip and refused to say anything more about it. "Figures. Whatever, just a heads up. We're going to be out tomorrow for dinner, we won't be available if you need us."

"Wait, dinner?"

"Yeah, dinner. We're going out to see our sister Melee."

Accel suddenly went white, pure white. Instantly Street picked up on his reaction. "You knew… she was still alive, didn't you?" he asked in a suspicious tone. "This WHOLE time, you knew Melee was alive and didn't say anything… In fact… No, you know what, let's leave it at that"

"Wh… what do you mean?" asked Accel.

"Nah, I'm going to let you sweat over this. Tomorrow, we're taking a day off." With that, the brothers stormed out of the office. Knuckle growled to it all. "You think he knows, we know?"

"That seed is planted, he's panicking, no doubt about it."

"So, what do we do?"

Street paused as he thought it over. "Consider our options. Quite frankly, I think a lot more people know what is going on but couldn't tell us for the sake of our own sanity. I think we're taking this cloning shit remarkably well."

Knuckle laughed. "Yeah, well, better than a dirt nap to say the least." He paused thought. "What happened to Melee?"

Street shrugged. "Perhaps it will be best to explain over dinner, I have no doubt that is our sister. I mean, did you tell anyone about that prank? That was meant for Amai!"

"No one… dad would have kicked my ass!"

Street laughed. "I am going to talk with Ran and Shaw for a moment, I want their insight on this… you?"

"I got a word or two for Metal Bat…"

#

"What did we know?"

Street found the brothers in the sparring room, having a break with a cup of sake. He confronted them the moment they rose to greet him, questioning what they knew about him. Ran was the first to ask him about what he meant. Shaw however was more direct. "You know the truth?"

"I'm a clone." Street stated. "Apparently I died years ago in a monster attack, that's all I know. My memory is still hazy, but I know that I am not suppose to be here."

Shaw's drink went down on to the table. "You're right." He announced. "The original Street and Knuckle Brawler died the same day as their father by a dragon level threat in City B. The father was the first one killed, the brothers died in the aftermath as the buildings came down, they were crushed under the weight. Melee, their sister was at work during the attack with Amai Mask."

Street nodded to the information. "So it is true… no one said anything about it to us to prevent the truth from coming out."

"That, and to ensure your sister didn't know. You two returning was all done in secret. No one asked her if it was okay to bring you two back like this, no one consulted her let alone requested her blessing. They wanted heroes for the cause, by any means."

"You kept quite to it all…"

"I was informed if too much information reached you, it would affect your perception of the world and way of thinking. Madness to say the least, I was going to tell you when you remembered your sister's name. But, it appears you found it on your own."

"We found her too." He said. "We're going to have dinner at her house tomorrow night."

Shaw nodded to it. "She will be glad to have you, no doubt. I hope you are prepared for the company she keeps!"

Street paused to his words. He knew something. "What are you hiding now?" he asked.

"It isn't for my brother to say, after all, if your sister hasn't told you yet, there is a reason for it. We will not step on her toes, she will tell you everything tomorrow." Said Ran. He poured a third drink and offered it to Street. "Care for some?"

Street sighed. "Just give me the bottle."

#

It was an odd confrontation.

Knuckle found Metal Bat, yet was quick to corner him. Literally. Knuckle stood over him, pinning Bad to the wall and whispering. "You have been holding out on me short stack! I know why… but now… you don't have to anymore. I am fully aware of my existence now… so… you got something to say, say it!"

Bad sighed. "I don't have to tip toe anymore? Great… Here!" reaching into his pocket, he took out a picture. Knuckle was quick to take it, but then froze.

"That… that's"

"The last photo taken of you with your bro and sis…"

Knuckle was at a loss. "Where?" he asked.

"It was given to me, by a friend. But since he didn't need it back, I figured you would want it for you. Look man, I'm sorry how this all went down. But I will be up front with you from here on, I promise!" Bad vowed. "I got a sis too you know, I know what it's like to be protective of them… what I did was to protect you two until you were ready to meet her again."

Knuckle nodded. "Thanks… it means a lot." He tucked the photo away, just as his stomach roared. He didn't get his fill from lunch. Dinner should fix that to say the least, yet he was wondering. Why was Melee so hesitant on having them over for dinner and meeting her family?

#

Street went to bed.

After a massive meal and a full bottle of sake, he passed out the moment he returned to his room. His mind was a whirl, and yet, once more, he dreamt of his father and for some reason the human monster Garou…

#

Street's dreams were all the same. Despite what he has been told, what he has learned of Garou, his dreams would always show him what his father would have done. That night was no different. He dreamt it was after the monster association battle. The world was recovering and change was in the air from it all. His father himself would go to City Z's abandoned and now destroyed district to scope out the damage himself. There would be monster bodies everywhere, debris and reminisce of what use to be a standing city. He would go even if it were pouring rain outside, strangely enough, Street dreamed it was.

As his father scoured, he would hear a cough. Someone was still here, living in the rubble. With care, he would look about for openings, pathways or even caves made from the destroyed buildings until he found what he sought. Huddled within a small cavern forged of broken concrete, would be him. The so called human monster trying to hide himself. He slept out in the rain and cold, refusing to be seen by the world for his failure.

There would be no hesitation, his father would have forced his way in, and picked the kid up and out of the wreck. From there, he would use the shirt off his back to clothe and cover up Garou before taking him back home.

It was his way. It was always his way.

From that moment on, his father took responsibility for the kid, ensuring he kept warm and got better. Despite the strange condition he was in when brought through the door. There were parts of his body crumbling and breaking off in thick black chunks. "What the hell is this?" Knuckle demanded, as he picked up what appeared to be a monster toe from the ground.

Street turned and saw it fell off of Garou's foot. Yet he saw a human foot break free from where the toe was lost. "Ask later, the boy needs rest. You know the drill!"

Street and Knuckle went around the house preparing. They cleared the living room for the sleeping mat, they checked and made certain there was plenty of food and extra blankets available. From there, his father tucked in the worn out teen and pulled up a chair. He would sit there until he woke up once more.

#

Street would keep watch just like his father, in case things got a little out of control. It would be three days when Garou awoke, at first he was disorientated and confused. He didn't know where he was or how he got there, yet, the moment his eyes came upon Street's father. A sense of panic would come over him, but oddly enough, he settled rather quickly. "Congrats appear to be in order. Now, was it worth it?"

Garou slowly sat him, but kept silent. He couldn't even look him in the eyes. "Did ya learn something?" he questioned.

Still nothing from the teenager, Street came into the room. He would stare down Garou before begrudgingly ask. "Are you hungry? You want to eat?"

His stomach grumbled.

"Come on, up ya get! Let's get some food into ya!"

Garou would slowly stand, but pause as he looked down, what remained of his monster form began to break off. He turned away rather embarrassed to it all. Street rolled his eyes as he went to his room and retrieved a pair of pants. He tossed them at him. "Get that shit off of yourself, you can wear these until we get something more in your size."

He merely nodded and did as he was told. He disappeared into the bathroom where Street saw the look on his father's face. "He got his ass handed to him."

"How can you tell?"

"He ain't fighting me on anything, he should have fought me when I found him. He got broken, despite achieving his dream, it wasn't what he anticipated it to be."

Street merely nodded. Knuckle was watching everything from a distance. His back against the wall as he shook his head it everything. "So what now? He can't stay here dad!"

"Why not!" he demanded. "He's our guest,"

"Dad… he's wanted man!" protested Knuckle.

"So what!" he snapped back. "The kid didn't make this monster association, he didn't even join it to my knowledge! So leave him be, right now, he's under my roof, my rules… so are you!"

The brothers exchanged an uncertain look between themselves, but there was no arguing with him, their father runs the house.

Garou emerged from the bathroom a short time later, wearing pants twice his size. "Alright, that's a start, let's get you fed!" Street watched as his father sat down the kid, he went to the kitchen and began to reheat leftovers. Street and Knuckle sat on the opposite side of Garou, who couldn't even lift his head.

"So… What happened?" Street asked.

He kept silent.

The food hit the table rather quickly. When it was placed before him, the kid ate as if he had never been fed before! It all vanished into him, and it was enough to satisfy his hunger. He appeared content and drank a pitcher of water to wash it all down with. He took a moment to savour the sensation, before his head lifted.

"Thanks."

"First coherent word out of ya!" Father proclaimed. "Now then, mind me asking what happened?"

Garou sighed, for a moment, Street didn't think he would say anything. But then, he did. From the moment he left the house, Garou explained where he went and what happened to himself. Even going as far as battling the monster king Orochi himself, he succeeded in becoming a monster, defeating some high level dragon threats and the whole S Class on his own power.

Street froze to the news. "Wait, if you did all that, who beat you?"

Garou stared at him oddly. "A hero I never knew existed. I gave it everything I had, and kept turning into a bigger monster to try and keep up with him. In the end, it was nothing… absolutely nothing to him. I couldn't win, no matter how hard I tried, what I did…" he paused. "He could have killed me"

Street turned to his father, who now sat with his arms crossed. "No shit, now, the question is. Why didn't he?"

Garou turned and stared at Street's father. "He should have."

"No… no I don't think so. He saw something in ya, didn't he? In fact, perhaps there were similarities between you two that not even noticed until now. But, perhaps this guy saw the same thing I did. Ya got a heart in there, caged no less, but a heart of a hero."

"I'm no hero." Garou muttered.

"You can be."

There was silence at the table. "So, what now?" asked Street.

His father began to clear the table. "He's going to stay until he can figure out what to do next. You okay with that? You stay here and think over your next move?"

He got only a small nod from Garou, nothing more. "I don't like this," said Knuckle.

"I didn't ask if ya did!" his father snapped back. "Help me clear the table. Street, you go and get this kid something to wear that will fit him."

The brothers cringed. They didn't want to help the human monster, not after hearing everything from the other heroes. Their main source of information came from their sister Melee. She is in the Heroes Association and was automatic Class B. However, thanks to her experience with Amai Mask, she perfected on throwing shurikens, becoming the hero named Shuriken Star. The association paid a lot better than Sweet Mask ever did!

Street stood up from his chair before glaring down at Garou. "What's your clothing size?" he asked begrudgingly.

"You don't have to, I'll make do."

"Dad already told me to get you something to wear, I got to or he'll be on my ass about it. What size!"

The dream went on as Garou remained with the family for a week or two. Ever since he was taken in, father made certain extra was made and there were leftovers available. He didn't speak much, yet gave thanks for what was given to him. Every so often though father would sit with him, and just ramble on about life and stuff. When Sis came home though, he would nudge Garou in the arm and point to her. "My daughter, Melee, good woman to have on your side if I do say so myself." Father paused and turned to him. "You spoken with her yet?"

He shook his head.

"Well, speak to her, she may like the same things you do. She trains as well, you two could learn off of each other…"

"I think I'll be leaving." Garou said. "I have a lot to consider… I know a place where I can go and try and figure things out…"

His words took his father aback, however he didn't fight him on the notion. "Do what you got to do. But know this, my home is open to you. You know where the spare mat is to sleep on, here…" reaching into his pocket he gave Garou a key to the apartment. "Come by any time. I'll even leave the window open a crack for ya."

It brought the first smile to Garou's face as he graciously took the key. Father made him a bundle, food, water and fresh clothing and money. He left it on the table for him to have anytime he was ready to leave.

Garou left that night after dinner…

#

Street woke up once more.

The cold sweat wakeup call was something he could do without. Why was he dreaming this? Why is it so vivid? "What the hell is going on with me?" he wondered.

It was only three in the morning, he sighed aloud to it all before falling back into his bed. He wondered though if what has been said is true. Was that his sister Melee he met today? Why was she different? Who is telling the truth now when so many refuse to speak it to him and Knuckle? He wasn't certain anymore, yet the more he thought of Melee, the more he began to remember his mother… She has her face…

"GAH!" he moaned. Sitting up in bed, his head throbbed. Then, he saw his mother, clear as day in his mind. Melee looked just like her. "That is her… she is our sister! But… how did she become that?" he wondered. He nearly couldn't fall back asleep, yet he was able to rest his eyes until morning.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

True to his word, a car arrived the next day at four o'clock to pick up the brothers. With a deep breath and a nod, the two got in and were driven out of the city. "I wonder who she married?" Knuckle said aloud.

Street appeared to be in his own little world. "Bro… you okay?"

He would shutter and break himself from the train of thought in his head. "Yeah, fine… been having weird ass dreams, I've been dreaming a lot about dad and what he would have done in the past had we been there." He explained.

"Oh yeah, you did get dreams like that, didn't you? Your mind goes over what happened, and how it would have been if we were there or dad had been there…" Knuckle said and chuckled. "At least that part about you didn't change!"

"Yeah… except I've been dreaming of that guy Garou, and what dad would have done when the guy was rampaging and hero hunting… Dad would have tried to hook him up with Melee!"

Knuckle snickered. "I don't doubt it!" he said.

"Dad never would have like the guys she brought home, I have little doubt he would scare them off the moment he met them. Yet, that Garou guy… he would have held his ground. The skills he possessed would impress the old man, not to mention, he was a lot like Melee. She was a loner, always out to prove herself…"

"Huh, never thought of that before." The car suddenly came to a stop.

"Here we are" the driver announced.

Knuckle rolled down his window and peered out. There was no house on either side of the street. In fact, they stopped at the foot of a mountain. "Uh… where's the house?" he demanded.

"Look, I was told to drop you off here. The other thing is Amai told me to tell you to take the stairs."

"That's a shit ton of stairs! I swear to God, if he is pranking us I am going back and belting him!" Knuckle growled as he got out of the car. Street followed as they stared up the mountain. "This for real?"

Street shrugged. "Let's get going."

The two began their trek up the steps, halfway up a quake occurred, and they could feel the mountain shake underfoot as they nearly lost their balance. "What the hell…" Knuckle wondered.

There would suddenly be a burst coming from the top. Dirt and dust plumed into the air before settling once more. "Is someone… fighting?" Street wondered.

Whatever was going on, it quickened their pace. They began to jog up the steps until they reached the final foothold. They saw a boarded up dojo, but nothing more. "We were pranked," growled Knuckle.

"COME ON, THAT ALL YOU GOT!"

They froze to the voice. "There IS a fight going on… hey, does that look like a path to you?"

Knuckle peered and noticed a worn trail, with a nod, the brothers followed it down through the woods, thicker and darker the forest became until the sound of the fight grew louder, and the ground tremble only intensified, as they got closer. Then, in a clearing, it stood.

A massive Japanese style mansion!

"What is this doing here?" Street whispered.

"Don't know, but look over there."

There was another clearing, Knuckle saw a fight going on, but it was merely sparring. "Whoever is over there, they can spar yet make the earth quake under foot!"

"Best we knock and see if anyone is home…"

They approached the front door. Knuckle was hesitant in making the first move, yet his brother was more than willing to knock on the door.

"I swear to God, if it's a door to door salesman I am going to eat them!"

"Isn't that…" Knuckle whispered.

The door flung open, the human monster appeared and yet he wasn't quite focused on the brothers just yet. "You know I would too!" yet as his head crooked to the side, he must have caught a glimpse of them from the corner of his eye. He froze for a moment. "Hey…"

"Hi… does… Melee live here?" asked Street.

"They're here already!?" She appeared from the left side of the room. She smiled to them and was quick to invite them in. The brothers walked in slowly, taking in everything, but were stunned to see the house was quite lavishing and spacious. "Street… Knuckle… welcome to my home… I take it you met Garou already… he's my husband." She explained as her face flushed red. There was a moment of panic that came over her as well, perhaps wondering if they approved of him.

Street however laughed aloud. "I knew it,"

"Good thing we didn't bet on this." Laughed Knuckle. He stuck out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you again."

Garou merely nodded, his face remained stern as he shook his hand. "Like wise. Sorry I didn't mean to hit you so hard before."

"Really? I expected more from someone calling themselves the human monster!"

"Moving on… I have a lot to explain to you both, and I hope you are ready for it and understand…"

"MOMMY, IT'S THE MAN WHO SAID HE WOULD APOLOGIZE!"

The little girl with the white hair came running in the moment her eyes locked on them. Knuckle smiled to her, yet froze at the same time. She said mommy… didn't she? It suddenly hit the brothers abruptly. The children of Garou… are her children too… which makes them uncles… she grabbed Street by the hand and forced him over to Melee. "You are going to apologize right now, aren't you?" she demanded.

"Luna, he doesn't have to…"

Street smiled, he did a respectful bow and said sorry. Luna smiled and nodded her approval. "I should warn you, she tends to run rough shot here." Garou muttered. "No swearing… or she will let you have it."

"Okay…" Knuckle said with great uncertainty, but something still confused him greatly about the sight before him. "How old is she? I mean, she's eight right?"

Melee laughed. "This is part of what I need to explain…"

"HEY! No one said we're having company over!"

Knuckle turned yet jumped rather abruptly. As a very long and rather large serpent man slithered into the house. "You… must be Snek"

Snek slinked into the room as he began to take in the sight of Knuckle and Street, his tongue whisked out but froze. "No… way… Melee…" he said as he began to peer around them, she nodded her head to him. Snek gave a nervous half smile to it all. "Ah… I think I'll hold off on any sort of conversation right now."

The house then trembled.

"What the hell!" Street demanded.

"HECK!" scolded Luna.

"Oh, that's the kids sparing with Boros." Garou said without an ounce of concern to the fact the whole house just shook! "Come on outside, let me introduce you to the rest of the brood."

They were a little reluctant until Melee insisted. "I am almost done making dinner, go ahead, the kids won't bite… hard." She warned.

"I'll come out too, I'll run interference if that happens." Said Snek.

As they made their way out, Street kept turning to Snek oddly. "Do… you remember our father?"

He nodded. "Just when I was getting into the hero line of work, your old man kept appearing when I face off against a monster. I thought he was stepping on my toes and trying to get the credit, turns out… he was coaching me. I didn't realize it until later, he never interfered unless I was knocked out. But when I fought, he was yelling stuff… advice, weak points… I took his kindness for granted. I'm sorry for your loss…"

"Yeah well… apparently we were part of that loss that day too… still trying to make sense of it all," said Street.

Suddenly, Garou's arm went out. "Hold it or your in the pit."

Knuckle didn't realize they were on the cusp of walking over into a pit! Yet down below they saw these young teenagers sparring with one that appeared to be giving off a blur aura. They were going all out! "Whoa…"

Garou turned as his chest swelled with pride. "The red one is Garou Jr. But we call him Pac, his twin brother is Hunter who has the green scales. On the other side of the pit watching is their sister Alley with her husband Suiryu. Waiting on the side lines in the blue is Goliath, and his twin in the dark brown scales Draven." He explained.

"How… how can they be this old?!" Knuckle asked in great confusion.

"They are monsters after all… technically speaking." Said Garou. "Each of them grew rather quickly, but their growth into adulthood is brought on by stress. Usually in a situation that needed great strength, they aged themselves according to the threat, they grow strong enough to fight back and hold their ground. Since then, the five haven't aged. The new ones, you met Luna. She has a sister Eclipsa and a brother Akira. They are only a year old." He explained.

Street was scratching his head in great confusion. "I… don't get it… I really don't."

"Meh, we don't either. Oh, I should explain that one that they are sparring with. Boros. He's an alien, and so far he is my daughter's adopted son per say."

"Huh?" the twin muttered.

"Welcome to life here, trust me it gets crazier." Said Snek.

As the kids finished up, they took notice of Street and Knuckle.

In the blink of an eye, they stood before them, staring with great fascination. "Whoa… it's true, you're mom's brothers!" said Goliath.

"You are the spitting image of your grandfather… without the beard!" said Street.

Goliath blushed to the compliment.

"So you finally figured out who we are huh?" asked Hunter in a bitter tone.

Street nodded. "Yes, I am sorry for what you went through. I didn't know the Neo Heroes had it out for the family this badly!"

Hunter nodded but didn't say anything more. "I… still don't quite understand all of this." Knuckle muttered. "I mean, how did you become that? How did Melee become what she is? How did you have so many kids? Not to mention girls! Girls are rare in our family! And Snek! What happened to Snek? I can only assume it happened to Suiryu too?"

"There's a lot to explain, but first, let's get some dinner. Melee said she was making something familiar for the both of you."

#

"Udon noodles with shredded beef and cabbage." Street said as he took in the smell. The family sat at the table, he was a little startled to Lightning Max when he came home and was surprised to see the young Neo Hero Drax also lived with the family, not to mention his father is Snek! Yet as dinner made its way to the table, Street knew if this tasted as he remembered, there was no doubt this was truly his sister.

He still had a little skepticism in his mind about it, yet he took his first bite of dinner.

"Oh God!" he moaned. It was everything he could want and imagined. It tasted just like home and how his father would want his meal. He and Knuckle began to devour the massive bowl before them, it wasn't long until seconds were called for and given. In fact, the whole family ate like they did! Large amounts of food and it all vanished within a few minutes. They truly were family!

When everyone was satisfied. Street took a deep breath he turned to Melee and said. "I want to know everything that's happened to you… I want to know how you met him, how you fell in love, and had this wonderful family… I want to know it all!"

Melee was stunned, however she nodded. "Where do I even begin?"

"Oh, I can help with that mom… this may freak you two out a little though." Said Alley.

"Whatever you think will help us understand!" announced Knuckle. "What did you have in mind kiddo?"

Alley stood up from her chair, carefully she revealed the other set of arms she had around her waist, it stunned the brothers to say the least. Yet they were quick to settle at the sight. "I have strong esper powers, I can transfer all of mom's memories into your minds, so you can see what happened. If I go too fast or if it's too much I can stop at any time. But I need the three of you to sit closely to do this."

The brothers were up for it. Melee was reluctant. "It's a lot for them to take in Alley…"

"Sis, we can handle this. I mean, we found out we were clones for goodness sake! You don't think we can handle what you've been through since we were gone?" asked Street.

She sighed and gave in. They moved the chairs about and had them set up in a half circle. Street, Knuckle and Melee sat before Alley, with care she gently placed a hand on each of their heads, Street peered behind to see what she was doing. Her eyes closed but was stunned as a third eye opened in the middle of her forehead. "That's something…" he muttered.

"Is everyone ready?" she asked.

"Let's do it!" Knuckle announced.

She began. Street saw fleeting images at first, but then, it revealed what happened. Everything Melee went through, her job with Amai, her training and when she decided to quite. The memories flew by as she encountered Garou, his reveal about the monster organ growing in his body and how he was changing against his will. She believed him, one of the few that did.

Street then witnessed Garou's transformation. It was so fast, so sudden that not even he could control himself at time. Yet through it all, Melee was there for him, and refused to leave his side.

He cringed when he learned of the Wyrm God attack, Melee was bit in various parts of her body, a cure was all but impossible as the monster was made from thousands of snakes. She would have died, had it not been for Garou. He devoured the beast to make anti venom, her skin became infectious and yet the medicine given would have done nothing to save her. When he used his own skin to cure her, it was perfectly clear as to where her scales came from.

The scales spread through her body granting her power, yet changing her DNA as well. She was no longer seen as a human being, but a monster along with Garou. The two made certain to use their power for good, bounty hunting mainly. Yet no one saw them as heroes, thanks to Garou's past.

They saw how the M Class started, the births of Pac, Hunter and Alley. The torment they endured and the hunting of Metal Knight for his actions. Alley however stopped for a moment. "The next memories are mine, it's how the three martial artists here became what they are. Mom didn't see it, but I did, this happened when she just learned she was pregnant with the twins, Goliath and Draven."

It was a mad scientist that started it, hoping to test Pac and Hunter only to have his tests diverted and consumed by four others. Snek, Max and Suiryu have since lived with them, trying to understand what they are and how to continue to be heroes. "Okay, back to mom's… is this okay?" she asked.

"I can see everything clearly, and my mind doesn't hurt, continue, please." Said Street.

She did just that, Street began to understand why Melee didn't reveal herself, he could pick up her feelings as Alley transferred the memories into his mind. The house of evolution was after them, and they weren't stopping until they got what they desired. They were stunned when the family was nearly killed by this mad scientist, yet Street wondered why it looked a lot like Genus he met just a day go?

They saw their struggle with Amai Mask, and the eventual peace that has since befallen upon the family. "Remind me, to punch him one more time for doing that to you guys." Said Knuckle.

"No problem," snickered Garou.

It then came to the Neo Heroes, how they teased the family, stating they could wait for the association to fall so they will become the hunted. She stopped then and there. "That's all we have until recently."

Street sat there, soaking it all in for a moment. He took a deep cleansing breath before his eyes set on Garou. "That's why you came…" he said. "You came to the Neo Heroes… upset because they brought us back without telling her…"

Garou sneered as he looked away, almost too proud to admit it. "Yeah…" he said. "I only regret that they have revoked the promise made to Drax, Snek's son. As long as the family didn't rampage… they wouldn't hunt us. I blew it."

Knuckle then opened his eyes after taking everything in, he nodded his head oddly as he rubbed his hand over his head in thought. He took a deep breath as sell before stating. "We're going to fix that."

The table froze. "Knuckle… we don't have that kind of power…" Street began to say.

"Oh no, we do," a stern look came over Knuckle. "They brought us back without asking Melee for permission or her blessing to do so. They hid us from her, refusing to speak to us about it, lied as to how we came to wake in their care, tricking us into becoming Neo Heroes and still not tell us anything about what happened, where she went to or how we survived…" he paused as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "The ball is in our court now, they either play by OUR rules, or we will go against theirs."

"Street, Knuckle, you have to be careful though!" pleaded Melee. "I fear that if the house of evolution is behind this too… I could…" she froze as the tears wielded in her eyes once more.

"Mommy, don't cry!" Eclipsa pleaded. The triplets quickly went to her for comfort, trying to say she is okay. She braced the children tightly as she turned to them once more.

"I can't lose you again…" she whispered.

"Well… this is going to sound weird, but what if they clone us again?" asked Street.

"It's tricky to say the least," explained Alley. "You need to understand, clones minds are difficult to predict and control. The last memory you could recall is the first one you obtain. If someone were to take your blood at the wrong place and time, it could trigger a bad reaction, resulting in a loss of one's self."

"What if it's taken now?" asked Street.

"The blood of a clone is never as strong as the original. It could work yes, but there could be aspects where the cloning process will fail. For example weakened immunity or bone density. I could if you want me to, but mom doesn't want me cloning."

"Melee?" asked Street. "We're okay with it…"

"But I'm not." She said. "How could I be? If something happens, you die and come back… you die and come back again… my heart cannot take that kind of punishment. As I said, I lost you both once before. I cannot lose you again"

"That is how Melee feels, but how do you feel about it?" asked Snek. "Considering someone could take your blood and clone you for their own needs. Never telling Melee about it and you're used as some sort of weapon or lab rat."

"I never thought about that," whispered Knuckle. "I just don't want her to lose us again… I mean… with everything going on, I can understand her concern, but we can't just vanish from her life to keep us safe!"

The room went silent.

The quiet then broke from a small laugh from Melee. "As foolish of a dream that is, you two will always be Brawlers, stubborn in the way that nothing will stop you from doing what you have to or need to do. I think no matter what happens, there will always be someone, out there waiting to take advantage of us or the situation. Street, Knuckle… do what you want to do, you're going to anyways. But, just be careful, and don't be afraid to ask for help."

Street gave a solemn nod. "We will, we have to, got to keep little bro in line!" he announced as he stared at Garou.

"I ain't so little!" he snapped back.

"Ah little bro is getting mouthy…" chimed Knuckle.

"You are seriously going to let them talk to me like this?!" Garou demanded.

Melee smirked. "It means they like you, if they didn't, you would be getting the third degree by now."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The brothers stayed and played with Luna, Akira and Eclipsa. After dinner they did a little rough housing which tired the three out rather nicely. Yet it was Boros who approached them with an odd request. "I want to scan you." He stated.

It even stunned Melee. "Scan them?" she questioned.

"Yes, I have been working on a device with mother figure, any object we place upon it we can make a scan of said object into a holographic image. May I?" he asked.

The brothers nodded. With that Boros went into his pocket and took out two small flat disks. He pressed the center of it and gently placed them onto the ground. The disks grew and spread out into a standing platform. "So… we just stand on it?" asked Street.

"Indeed,"

With a shrug, the brothers stood on the device, when both their feet were flat on the panel, a beam of light shot up from the bottom. "WHOA!" said Knuckle. As quickly as it was done, the light stopped and registered everything. "That's it?"

"Yes, I have made it so the device works quickly and without flaw. It will take me a few minutes to process the image, but then, I can reveal to you what it made." He reached for his devices once more, rendering them down to small disks. Boros returned to the kitchen table and processed the data.

"He's so yours…" muttered Suiryu to Alley.

"You have… a remarkable family, sis." Street said with great admiration. "Dad would be so proud of you."

Melee choked back the tears, but she forced a laugh. "You really think dad would have approved of Garou?" she said.

"HEY!" he protested, but then paused. "No, wait, you're right… carry on."

Street smirked. "I've been having such vivid dreams about that. If dad were still here… in fact, my dreams told me, he would have tried to hook the two of you up himself!"

"Wait, what?!" demanded Melee. "Dad HATED the idea of me dating. He was heart broken when I told him I liked Amai Mask!"

"No kidding, the guy is a class A hole!" said Knuckle, but quickly checked to see if Luna reacted to his near swear, so far, he was in the clear. "I got the feeling dad would have done that too." He paused and turned to the human monster with a smirk. "Our old man had a bit of a strange habit you know, anyone he saw with potential yet was causing trouble, he would personally fight them to see what they are made of. No doubt you would have impressed him to say the least. He would seek you out again… only to invite you over for dinner."

"Huh?" Garou asked in great confusion. He turned to Melee with a very uncertain look. "Was your old man nuts?" he asked.

"Depends on the day and his mood,"

"I doubt you would have turned him down for a free meal after all. If you were hero hunting, you wouldn't want to be seen. Not to mention getting something to eat would be difficult for you. So this was the least amount of work and risk needed, would it not?" Street questioned.

Garou sat there, frozen to his words. "Damn it…" he muttered.

"DARN IT!" scolded Luna.

The brothers snickered. "I forgot to mention something about my brothers, they have very good intuition. They can also break down the mindset of opponents rather well by observing their patterns, behaviors and emotions. As well after fighting an opponent once, they are able to understand the mind set and know how far they could go in order to gain that person's interest on a matter. They pegged you pretty good."

"And I barely even know them."

"That's handy, so one fight and you can see if that person has good intentions or not?" asked Pac.

"Pretty much, old man rule number one. Never show everything you got all at once. Number two hold back when gauging an opponent until you know what you're up against."

There appeared to be a look of interest on Garou's face. Melee instantly picked up on it. "Oh no… come on, they just ate!" she protested.

"So did I… wanna work off dinner? Let's see this Brawler go all out!" he said as a look of excitement came across his face.

Knuckle cracked his fists. "Yeah… I think I could go for a spar session."

"Garou!" Melee protested.

"I'll go easy on him, relax…"

"Sis, little bro doesn't have to go easy on me, besides, he can't be THAT strong!"

Melee sighed. "How do I put this…" she said and then nodded. "I could beat the both of you with an arm tied behind my back with great ease and in less than ten seconds. Compared to Garou, what I am capable of is nothing to compared to him."

Her brothers paused, they looked between each other and back at her. "I'm want in on this too!" Street announced. "Two on one!"

"Okay," Garou said with a grin. "To the pit!"

#

The whole family gathered and watched from the sidelines. Melee was still cringing at the notion that her brothers were getting in over their heads… again. Yet, she also trusted Garou to go easy on them. No doubt he will toy with the two to prolong the fight, not to mention get them to go all out to say the least. But the family was stunned when he demonstrated a new trick. He was able to pull in his dragons, wings and meld his tail to his body! He looked nearly human again! "Whoa… when did dad learn that?!" asked Pac. "Why hasn't he taught it to me yet?"

"Oh, he's been doing that since he learned about the Neo Heroes and before the Association falling," explained Snek. "He said if he had to go into town and look human, he would try and pull off the look, he can hold this for about an hour until he has to release it all again. It's like sucking in your gut."

"Still…" muttered Pac.

Melee watched on as Knuckle and Street began to walk around and gauge Garou just by sight alone. Then the two rushed right at him! Their fists flew as they gave off a battle cry, however it had no effect on him. He easily blocked their strikes and could see where they were going to go, how they would move and counter act those movements. He never landed a single blow, he merely waited for her brothers to tire out… that took a half hour for them to run out of steam and breath. Her brothers' skills thought have improved greatly from what she could recall. They would normally go in and just bash an opponent. Perhaps they have learned something from the Neo Heroes?

"Is it my turn?" Garou asked of them. "If it is, it's best you catch your breath now. I'll just knock the air out of you."

"Come on Garou! There's no point in continuing!" Melee protested.

"No, we're going to see this through!" protested Street. He and Knuckle somehow gained a second wind. They stood on their feet and took a stance. "Come on little bro!"

Garou didn't mercy them to say the least. He picked them off, first knocking Street back away before he landed quick strikes against Knuckle! Melee could feel the impact of the blows from where she stood! Knuckle was thrown back and landed face down in the dirt, his sights then turned to Street. Street was kicked up off the ground, in mid air, Garou struck him ones in the back, forcing him back into the earth and made an imprint.

"Really!?" Melee demanded. "You had to beat them THAT badly?"

Garou shrugged. "They asked for it!"

"Damn dad…" muttered Goliath.

Knuckle picked himself off the ground. Street did as well. The brothers shook their heads to it all. Despite the cuts, blood and bruising they will get by tomorrow, there was a smirk that came over their lips. "AGAIN!"

"Oh God…" Melee muttered. "THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!" she yelled. Her brothers were about to protest, but she gave them such a look, they instantly stopped their argument.

"Another time." Garou promised them. "It's getting late, did you two want to stay overnight?"

"Thanks, but we got to get back. We got some business to attend to at the Neo Heroes to say the least." Stated Street. "We're going to correct that incident report they did about you and the family."

Melee approached her brothers and embraced them tightly once more. "Please, be careful!"

They wrapped her up in their arms, she hasn't quite had a hug like that in a long time. "We will sis, we won't leave you behind again."

"Want a ride home? I can esper lift you if you want." Asked Goliath.

"Ooo flying in style, sure!" said Knuckle.

"Is it safe?" asked Street.

"He wouldn't be offering to do it if it weren't," whispered Garou.

Melee watched on as her brothers floated off the ground, they were like kids since it was the closest sensation they will ever have to flying. After toying with the notion, they regain their composure and allowed Goliath to take off. She watched them leave, yet a part of her wished they stayed. "Melee…" Garou said gently. "We'll work on them, and convince them to stay with us. Would you like that?"

"I don't know… I mean, we still have the house of evolution to deal with. If they are with the Neo Heroes and being in the limelight right now, they are safe, aren't they? Safer than being here?" she asked.

"I don't know what to tell you anymore, but, knowing your brothers. They don't want to be safe… they want to be Brawlers. And you said so yourself. A Brawler will do what a Brawler will do, they are stubborn no doubt."

She gave him a playful punch to the arm. "Yeah we are!" she said. "I just wish there was someway to keep them safe. I don't ever want to lose them again…"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The next day.

Street and Knuckle were in the cafeteria having their breakfast. Accel was wondering about until he saw the brothers. Quickly he took a seat next to them. "So, you survived Garou and his clan huh?"

They were oddly silent to him, Knuckle was giving him a glare that made his blood run cold. "Whoa… hey, what's with the look?" he asked.

They finished their meal. "We need to talk, now and in private. You don't want to make a scene here to say the least." Stated Street.

He was getting nervous now, yet Accel accepted their suggestion. They went to his office where the door became locked. The brothers glared him down, their arms crossed and said. "We know nearly everything now… considering the circumstances of our so called coma." Knuckle stated. "We were in no coma, we were dead and YOU brought us back, didn't you?"

Accel was at a loss, they knew? Yet, how are they not going mad with that information? "Your silence is a good enough answer," muttered Street. "Now, here's what's going to happen. You claim you made this place to be devoid of corruption, correct? Well, this has just made its way into your little association. How would the people feel about you, knowing you PARTICIPATED in reviving us without consulting our SISTER on the matter?"

"Wait, what makes you say I participated in this? I thought Dr. Evo was merely doing an experiment, I didn't think it would result in you becoming… this!" he stated. "I… I thought he just wanted to test the blood… I… I…"

"Shut it," growled Knuckle. "The fact remains is this. We're supposed to be dead, but we ain't anymore. Now. You got some choices here, they ain't going to sit will with you either way. First of all… we got no intention of leaving the Neo Heroes, we're staying put… but we are going to keep a close eye on you!"

"Wait, what do you mean…"

"Second" stated Street. "You are going to put your promise back into place on not going after the former M Class dragons. What happened here with Garou is clear as day now, he was upset for you made his wife upset… OUR SISTER!" he snapped.

Accel began to feel himself turn pale with the news. "Third…" said Knuckle. "You will never do this again, even if something happens to us, you will not clone us anymore."

"I… I can promise that, Dr. Evo said that there was only enough blood to do the process once."

"Speaking of Evo, we want a word with him," growled Street.

"I'll let him know, he's been gone for a few days now…"

"Whenever he comes back, bring him to us!" With that, the brothers unlocked the door and left.

Accel had to sit down, he never could have imagined the brothers learning everything in a matter of days, and yet, their minds have not fallen into madness with the notion of it all.

They have become something he didn't anticipate. Fully aware heroes!

#

Knuckle took a deep breath, he turned to his brother and gave a nod. "We're doing this?" he asked.

"Yeah, we'll still be Neo Heroes. Besides, someone has to keep an eye on them so they don't go after sis or the family. It's the least we can do for her, right?"

He nodded in agreement. "I want to learn more ways to fight, perhaps Ran and Shaw can teach me a thing or two."

"Nice, I'm going to talk with Emp, and see what he can perhaps teach me."

"Emp?"

"My nick name for Child Emperor. Emp, short sweet to the point."

"Yeah… oh hey, I could train with Short Stack!"

"I think he prefers being called Bad or Metal Bat."

"Meh, I like Short Stack!"

The brothers went their separate ways, taking in the world and trying to catch up for the years lost. Perhaps being a Neo Hero will have its advantages…

#

"I THOUGHT WE AGREED!"

"Plans change…"

"NO, YOU CHANGED THE ARRANGEMENT!" Evo was trying everything he could to change his mind, after all it was him who spoke of the Brawler blood and he used his connections to the other clones to obtain it. Evo however did not expect this. "You can't have the remaining blood, it isn't viable, I tried to extract what I could, I had just enough for the clones!" he protested.

He stood in the darkness, Evo barely made out his silhouette. But knew who he spoke with. "Please, I beg of you, leave these two be. You promised me that they were mine if I could clone them. I succeeded, not even you could have done such a thing with the materials you possessed. Please, 106… they are mine…"

"We will see about that. The clones of the Brawlers turned out far better than anticipation. Not to mentions they have only been alive for a few days and yet have been able to process and digest all the information given to them without a hint of madness… they should be studied for this alone…"

"You don't wish to study them for that!" Evo protested. "Brother, we all know the reason why you want them. You want to get Garou and his family. You want their power for yourself and intend on using the siblings… I beg of you, this is an opportunity, you know master has culled most of the clones…"

"Master is dead… that's what you told me didn't you?"

"Yes, he is dead. But there are others who would finish what he started, those who aimed to please him and finish his last project. Just listen for once, if we can convince Garou and his family we are of no harm, we can prolong our survival. We can live without fear, let the Brawler Brothers be a peace offering!"

There was silence from the clone. "Why dear brother… if I didn't know any better, I would say you don't wish to continue your studies…"

"I do! But this is a chance for us to be left alone. If we anger this family, there is no telling what they will do. 106, think logically about this. Leave this family be, make peace and move on. We can make new test subjects."

"Make new test subject…"

Evo froze. "Brother… I don't like your tone."

"You gave me the idea, perhaps I will expand upon it. Very well, for the time being, I will leave the Brawlers alone."

Evo sighed. "Thank you…"

"Eleven… If you betray me in any way…"

"I am more than aware of the consequences,"

"Good, keep that in mind."

He vanished into the darkness. Evo however took a deep breath and sighed aloud. He has only bided some time, 106 will surely change his mind sooner than later on the Brawler Brothers. Perhaps, he can prepare the Brawlers for the worst that has yet to come…


End file.
